New Beginnings
by chibisamalove
Summary: Someone important to Shion visits her dreams, but things don't go as the person planned! And will chaos EVER make an appearance?
1. Shion

**New Beginnings**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of the characters in this story, except for one that will be making an appearance much later on. If I owned the characters at all, you know how the ending would have played out for me. XD

**Time-frame**: The start of this story takes place two months after the ending of _A Special Gift For Shion._ It will jump ahead another month not too far into it.

Shion was standing in a room she had been very rarely coming to over the last two months. It felt strange to her, since she had spent a few hours in it every day not so long ago. Now, though, she didn't feel the need to talk to KOS-MOS as much. It was almost as if KOS-MOS were with her at all times, watching over her. There was something Shion felt the need to speak of with KOS-MOS now, even if she wasn't able to respond, and the old maintenance room was the one place she could always go to in order to feel close to KOS-MOS. She sat down upon the plush sofa in the room and sighed. "How do I even begin?" she said quietly. For a minute or two she sat there, simply thinking. Finally she shook her head and decided to talk as things entered her mind. She knew KOS-MOS would understand if she faltered here and there.

"I know I haven't been coming to talk to you lately, KOS-MOS, and I'm sorry for that. I guess I've just been so preoccupied, I never really thought about it. But I know that you're always with me, thanks to talks Jr. and I have had. He's been so wonderful in getting me to move on with my life the way you, Jin, and chaos would want. Speaking of Jr., he's really the reason I've come to talk to you. I'm sure you already know, but he and I are in a relationship now. It's funny, because I never would have pictured it. He's matured so much since our journey began, though. Oh, he's the same, old Jr., of course, since nothing could change him that drastically, but I've seen changes in him that make me realize that at the same time, he's not quite the same, old Jr. Does that make any sense?" Shion laughed softly.

"Anyway, I think I just want to tell you that I'm doing better now than I was when I used to come and talk to you before. And I want to let you know that I love him." Here she paused, because this was very important to her. She'd gotten the feeling from Tony, Hammer, and also Mary to some degree that they thought she might have been on the rebound from Allen. Had she and Jr. not taken things slowly, she might have been inclined to agree. However, they'd been content to let things develop on their own and it had been almost a month before they'd spoken of entering an actual relationship. "I love Allen, and I think that you know that. And in a way, I always will. Jr. and I have something strong, though. Maybe it's because we're so much alike, and we know one another so well. We fight, but because we're both so stubborn and strong-willed, neither one of us walks all over the other. I think we both needed that. What I'm trying to say, KOS-MOS, is that I'm happy and Jr. is too. I always felt like I made Allen miserable, and that wasn't fair. I hope he's able to find someone who makes him happy, like Jr. and I do for each other."

Shion slowly got to her feet, almost done speaking to KOS-MOS. There was just one small thing she had left that she wanted to talk about. "I'm hoping it's not too soon to think about our relationship moving to the next level. Jr. has been waiting patiently, and he says that he'd wait forever for me." She gave another low laugh. "We all know Jr.'s patience level, though. Beyond that, I know that he's the one I want to be with. Do you think it's okay to feel that way, KOS-MOS?" There was no answer, as expected, but Shion felt lighter at having spoken of her feelings for Jr. "Thanks for listening to me, KOS-MOS. I think I just needed someone who wouldn't judge me." She smiled slightly and left the old maintenance room.

**Author's note**: The first 3 or so chapters will be short because they will be dealing with specific people and their feelings at the time. I promise they will get longer after that. And I would so appreciate reviews.


	2. Allen

Author's note - I'd just like to say thank you to E.S. Simeon and G-Anakin13 for reading both stories of mine. And Princess, hopefully Allen comes out okay in this chapter!

Allen was shaking his head as he left the bridge. After the fight he'd just witnessed, he was beginning to believe that the Captain, Tony, and Hammer had been together just a little too long. While it was inevitable that being with the same people day in and day out would start to wear thin every once in a while, the Elsa's crew rarely spent time apart. And now that they were stuck together for an unknown length of time while searching for Lost Jerusalem, it was becoming painfully obvious that they were driving one another crazy. Knowing that he could do nothing to stop them once the yelling, shouting, and posturing had begun, Allen had simply made a mad dash for the door.

He started toward the elevator, knowing he had to go down and see the Professor and Scott. They were working on a new project, and Scott had asked him for his help, although Allen had the feeling that it was designed to keep his mind off of Shion. That was something that he needed to speak to Scott about, but he'd wait until after they were done working and the Professor had disappeared. He'd almost reached the elevator when he heard the door to the men's cabin slide open and then Jr. appeared. Allen stiffened slightly and came to a halt. Jr. turned in Allen's direction, plainly intent on heading for the bridge. His eyes met Allen's and the look he gave Allen almost caused Allen to jump back a step. Jr. abruptly turned and made his way to the lounge.

Allen was very confused. _Why would Jr. give me a look that plainly says he hates me? If anything, I'd think I have more of the right to be aiming those kinds of looks in his direction, but since I don't hate him, there wouldn't be much sense in it._ Resolving to put it out of his mind, at least until he was able to talk to someone who might have some clue as to why Jr. would be aiming deadly looks in his direction, he hurried onto the elevator.

He quickly made his way down the hallway and came upon the Professor and Scott arguing over what was the best way to accomplish something. "But Professor, I don't think that way will help at all. We need to make sure they're able to get through the atmosphere. They won't be worrying about how amazing it looks!"

The Professor waved Scott's concerns away. "Nonsense, Assistant Scott! If we're to be building them a shuttle that is able to get them down to Lost Jerusalem just in case the Elsa encounters resistance, it needs to have my signature! It has to have something that links it to Erde Kaiser!" He suddenly spotted Allen in the doorway, laughing silently. "And what are you laughing about, Assistant #2? Get in here and stop lounging around! We've got work to do!"

After a good two hours of much work and very little talking, the Professor brought a halt to everything. He cackled. "See, what did I tell you, Assistant Scott? It's going to be a beauty! They've got to go down in style, you know. And now, I think I'm off to have a drink. All this work has given me a sudden craving." He left the room, ignoring Scott's annoyed sigh.

Allen eyed Scott suspiciously, and Scott looked at him, squirming slightly. "Why are you looking at me like that? I just don't want the Professor going off on one of his binges. If I lose him to one of those, we'll never get this shuttle done in time."

Allen decided it was best to simply ask Scott directly why he'd invited him to work on the shuttle as well. As he'd thought, Scott stuttered the answer that he didn't want Allen moping over Shion. He'd figured that with his mind occupied, he wouldn't have time to think about Shion at all.Allen put a hand to the back of his head and sighed. "While I'm glad you're trying to be a good friend and help me out, you don't have to worry, Scott. I'm not moping over Shion. Yeah, I'm a little upset that it didn't work out. I loved her very much and I always will. The thing that matters the most to me, though, is her happiness. She seems happy with Jr., and that's all I can ask for. Although the strangest thing just happened to me before I came down here, you know. I ran into Jr. and he gave me a look that should have had me on the floor, crying in agony. I'm a little lost as to why he seems to dislike me so intensely all of a sudden."

Scott pondered on this for a minute, but ended up shrugging. "I honestly can't think of any reason Little Master would have to not like you."

Allen raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "And just when did you start referring to Jr. as 'Little Master'? I know you and the Professor were on the Foundation, but you didn't have that much interaction with him, did you?"

Scott turned a dull red. "Most everyone on the ship calls him Little Master, so I just thought it's what I should call him too. Anyway, to get back to the subject at hand, are you absolutely sure that you're okay with Shion not being with you anymore?"

Allen looked a little thoughtful for a moment. "I can't say that I'm **okay** with it, but I can say that I'm not moping about. Like I said before, I just want her to be happy." He gave Scott a small smile and left Scott marveling at how selfless his friend was.


	3. Shelley

**Author's note** - Okay, Shelley is a really difficult character for me to write, so I'm hoping she comes across correctly in this chapter. Anyway, this is the last of the individual character chapters, so now the story should get a bit more interesting. And E.S. Simeon, I do promise that you'll see Jr.xShion goodness in the next chapter!

Shelley was seated at her desk, busily typing up reports that she would need to send to Helmer later on in the day. She had gotten stuck performing this duty by default. Jr. only included details that he himself felt were important, and Mary chatted with the people around her so much that the reports were never finished. Since Shelley was a stickler for all details, be they minute or grand, and also because she was unable to say no to both her sister and her captain when they begged her to take over, she spent at least an hour a day detailing reports on the Durandal's movements, financial needs, and supplies that would be needed along the way. Shelley leaned back in her chair with a sigh. Her back was beginning to hurt and even her eyes were starting to strain, although she was far more used to being in front of computer terminals than some. Closing her eyes for just a minute, she never heard the door slide open, and she nearly took a spill from her chair when a deep voice said, "Taking a rest, Shelley?"

Shelley shot to her feet after a quick recovery from the fright she'd received. "Oh, Master Gaignun, you surprised me. I'm very sorry you caught me not performing my job. It was only because my eyes were actually beginning to bother me, and I just needed a minute to readjust them is all."

Gaignun held up a hand with a laugh. His green eyes sparkling, he replied, "Shelley, it's perfectly fine. I'm sure Jr. and Mary roped you into doing this every day, when I specifically told my dear brother that the job was to be shared among the three of you. You've got to stop taking on so much. After all, I can't have my best secretary so tired that she's falling asleep on the job."

Shelley lowered her head. "Please accept my apology, Master Gaignun. I have no excuse as to why I was unable to finish the reports in the time I was granted. Please do not blame Little Master or Mary for my failings. I had no issues with taking over this responsibility each day. I certainly do not wish for you to think me incapable of it."

Gaignun shook his head, but then realized with her head lowered, Shelley wouldn't be able to see him do so. He moved closer to her and placed a hand under her chin, lifting it so she could look at him. "There's no danger of that. I'm quite aware of how capable you are, Shelley. I do intend on having a conversation with my brother about dodging his duties, however."

Shelley gave him a sudden, confused look. "As pleased as I am to see you, Master Gaignun, weren't you supposed to be in Fifth Jerusalem at this time? The last time we had spoken, you were unable to get away and return. So why exactly are you here, now?"

Gaignun moved away from her and began to pace. It was a few minutes before he attempted to answer her question. "I've come for you, Shelley. I need someone with your intelligence to help me with my plan. Citrine simply isn't smart enough in the matters important to me to aid Sellers. You, however, are perfect."

Shelley took a step away from him, her eyes growing wary. Gaignun's voice had changed, from its deep, even pitch to an almost sinister tone with a hint of an accent. She had a sudden feeling that there was something not quite right with him, and she thought it best if she kept a distance from him until she was able to assess the situation properly. There wasn't the time, though. Before her astonished gaze, Gaignun made a startling transformation, and she was looking at his father, Dr. Yuriev. "You-you're Dr. Yuriev. But how are you still alive? Master Gaignun himself told me that he'd killed you when he was just a child."

Yuriev gave a low, dark chuckle. "Oh, my dear Shelley, it's impossible to kill me. Nigredo only managed to give me a bit of time to think things out before I was able to take control of his body and set my plan in motion. Now, I think it's best if you come with me. I can give you exactly what you want, and that's freedom to be yourself without always being teamed with your sister. All you need do is take my hand."

As Shelley stood there, undecided, the door slid open yet again, and Jr. bounded into the room, followed closely by Albedo. "Shelley, get out of the way! We know how to deal with this! We're going to get rid of him for good this time!"

Shelley could only watch as Jr. and Albedo formed the link that would take Gaignun away from her. As his body began to tremble, she saw his consciousness return. He held out a hand to her, his eyes beseeching her to save him. "Master Gaignun!" she screamed as everything went dark.

Shelley awoke with a scream caught in her throat, but she mercifully managed to choke it down. She didn't want to awaken Mary and deal with her never-ending barrage of questions. She sat up and brought her feet down over the edge of her bed, breathing heavily. She glanced over in the direction of Mary's bed and saw her sister was sleeping peacefully, just she'd thought. Her gaze traveled to Shion's bed as well, but that hadn't been touched. Shelley didn't have time to reflect upon where Shion was, because at that precise moment, Shion entered the room quietly. She walked softly to her bed and was grabbing her night clothes when she saw Shelley hunched over on her bed. "Shelley, are you okay? Did you have another nightmare or something?"

Shelley didn't want to look at Shion, since Shion was too closely connected to Jr. at this point and thinking of the Little Master hurt Shelley in so many, myriad ways. She kept her face averted and said quietly, "No, I'm just unable to sleep at the moment. You don't need to worry about me." She heard Shion sigh and then Shion moved away, toward the bathroom. Tears came to Shelley's eyes, but she blinked them away and lay down again, trying to forget the horror of her latest nightmare.


	4. A New Level

**Author's note** - It took a bit longer than I had expected, but here's Chapter 4 finally! Although I explicitly state that Jr.xShion is a pairing in this story, I just want to post the warning that if you see Jr. as a child, this chapter might not be to your liking. I've given you the chance to turn back. If you don't feel the need to, then read on!

Jr. opened the small box that the man had transported over to him. He still didn't understand how MOMO and Doctus had been able to enable small transfers such as this, but gate jumps were still giving them a problem. He knew he shouldn't question it, though, since this way they were able to get supplies they needed from online stores. Slowly the stores had been able to stock back up on things that were needed, and if a person wasn't able to find what they were looking for at one store, another was sure to have it. Giving himself a small shake, Jr. returned to the task at hand. He looked over the contents in the small box and nodded to the elderly man on the screen. "Thanks. It's exactly what I was looking for. I'm glad you were able to create it from the description I gave to you."

The elderly man chuckled. "No problem, young man. It was nice to have something to do once again. So are you picking that up for your father to give to your mother?"

Jr. clenched his teeth. Within the last few months, he'd been able to gain another three inches in height, which brought him to a grand total of 5 feet tall now. He seemed to be gaining height in spurts, and he was sure he'd be stuck at this height now for a while. His voice had started to deepen, but that meant he had embarrassing moments where it would crack as he was talking. Being twenty-eight years old and going through what amounted to puberty was something that he wasn't altogether thrilled with, but it couldn't be helped. His face had also started to change slightly, maturing a bit and giving him even more of a resemblance to Gaignun and Albedo. In the end, however, he hadn't changed enough to make people who didn't know him think he was any older than about fourteen, as the man he was speaking to was bearing witness to.

Taking a calming breath, Jr. answered as evenly as he could, "No, I'm afraid not. It's actually a gift for my girlfriend, because she's celebrating her birthday tomorrow. I've sent you the payment, so thanks for your time." As he was cutting off the contact, he overheard the man say, "That child must get quite the allowance to be able to afford that." Jr. gave a small growl and stormed away from the monitor.

_Rubedo, you should learn a little more patience for the elderly, you know. It's certainly not his fault he thinks he's dealing with a mere child. After all, you were the one who stuck yourself in that form for how long, and have just recently managed to undo your halted cellular growth. How was he to know he's dealing with an adult?_ Jr. narrowed his eyes, feeling the sarcasm underwriting Albedo's words. "Why is that when you speak to me lately, I feel like you really wish you weren't? You've been extremely quiet the past month or so. It's not like you at all. Before, you were talking my mental ear off, and you'd barely give me time to sleep at night." _I have no idea what you're talking about. I simply don't have much to discuss with you, being that you're so consumed with thoughts of the princess,_ Albedo said haughtily. Jr. snapped, "Dammit, how many times have I told you not to call Shion that? She has a name, and it won't kill you to use it." _Princess fits her much more, Rubedo. You've got her up on a pedestal so high, she must think she's royalty by now. She probably can't interact with the commoners anymore._ Jr. was about to give Albedo a piece of his mind when he felt Albedo draw back. "Yeah, that's it. Run away. And you always called me the coward." Shaking his head, he made his way toward the men's cabin to hide Shion's present until tomorrow.

Having hidden the gift away where no one would stumble across it, Jr. decided it was time to make his way toward the bridge. He hurried out of the cabin and when he made his appearance in the door of the bridge, a dead silence fell on the room. He looked around and saw Shion with her face averted, and he was quickly at her side. When he questioned what was wrong, she gave him a sunny smile and shook her head. Not really believing her but knowing it wasn't the time to force her to open up, he spoke to Matthews. "How's everything checking out, Captain?"

Matthews shrugged. "Ah, so far everything seems okay, Little Master. The Professor's being all doom and gloom and saying we need to give the ship a break, or it's gonna break down on us. There ain't no place to set her down, though. We've been traveling through an uninhabited system, so we're gonna have to take the chance."

Jr. nodded, although he wasn't happy with the prospect. "Look, if we run across any place that looks like we can set the Elsa down for a while, just do so. The last thing we need is for it to break down when we're in the middle of nowhere. Tony, do you think the ship will be okay until then?"

Tony waved a hand. "I told the captain he's worrying too much. This baby's built to last. And besides, we have engineering experts on board who can fix stuff if it goes wrong. Their field of expertise may be robotics, but Scott said he should be able to fix electrical problems and all that. I ain't worried." He gave Jr. a grin.

Jr. knew Tony's opinion had more value, since he was so closely connected to the Elsa, being the pilot. He replied, "Okay, just keep me informed if anything develops. I'm heading for the lounge for the time being, and then I'll need to contact MOMO later on." He left the room, and a near instant chill settled in it almost as soon as the door slid shut.

Shion, who'd stayed silent during the exchange, glanced at Mary. This was what she'd been dealing with ever since she and Jr. had decided to give a relationship a chance. Before Jr. had shown up, Mary, Hammer, and Tony had been giving Shion the cold shoulder, while Matthews yelled at all three of them to knock it off. He was the only one who treated Shion decently, because he felt it was the Little Master's business and he wasn't getting involved. Shion had only come in to let Mary know Shelley had been looking for her, and Mary had barely even acknowledged her. Biting her lip, Shion thought that the best plan of action for now was to retreat before she said something she ended up regretting.

Jr. was just passing the women's cabin when Shelley exited it. Hearing him say her name, she turned to face him, her posture very stiff. "Hey, Shelley, I'd really like to talk to you. I'm getting the feeling you're avoiding me..."

Shelley's eyes were focused on a point slightly to the side of Jr. "I'm sorry, Little Master, but I have to find Mary and speak to her. Perhaps we can talk at a later time?" Without waiting for an answer, she walked away from him, leaving Jr. feeling not only confused but also a little hurt at the obvious dismissal.

Allen was just stepping off the elevator as Shelley swept past him. He quickly took in the scene, saw Jr. with slumped shoulders heading toward the lounge and Shelley in quite the hurry to get to the bridge, and put two and two together. He called out just as the lounge door closed behind Jr., "Shelley, hold up a minute!" Shelley came to a halt and awaited him. "What just happened? You've been brushing Jr. off almost from the minute we boarded the Elsa to begin the journey. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious as to why that is."

Shelley and Allen had become close over the time they'd been on the journey, a friendship started aboard the Durandal grown stronger. In fact, Allen was the only person that Shelley didn't go out of her way to avoid. Right now, though, he was on the receiving end of a look that spoke clearly he was treading in dangerous territory. "Allen, it's not something I wish to talk about with anyone. So I'd be appreciative if you could refrain from bringing up the topic again." She gave him a small smile to soften the words a little, and then she took her leave.

The next day, Jr. was putting the finishing touches on the lounge for the evening he had planned. He'd gotten everyone to agree to stay out of the lounge for a few hours so that he and Shion could have time to themselves. Looking around, he nodded and was headed toward the door to get ready himself before he went and picked up Shion when he heard an annoyed sigh inside his head. "Albedo, I don't really have the time for a battle with you," Jr. said in an irritated tone. _I wasn't planning on a battle, Rubedo. I'm rather surprised you even heard me._ Jr. stopped dead. "Albedo, we've got a quick something to discuss before I go and get Shion. I don't want you inside my head tonight. I'd like to be my own person without worrying you're going to break into my thoughts at a really inopportune moment." Albedo gave a sarcastic chuckle._ Rubedo, you needn't worry about that. I have no intention on cutting in on your time with the princess. I'd like to be able to sleep at night._ With that cutting remark, Jr. felt Albedo's presence grow more and more distant until it was gone.

Jr. gave the button a push next to the door of the women's cabin. This was only for show, of course, since Shion had taken off the alarm that sounded whenever a male attempted to enter the cabin a week or so ago. She had meant it innocently enough, in that Jr. had forgotten about it one night and had tried to enter the cabin, setting off the alarm and startling Mary out of a peaceful sleep. Mary hadn't said a word about it, not that Shion had been at all surprised about that. Jr. wasn't aware of the real reason behind Shion's deactivating the alarm, because she was keeping Mary's, Tony's and Hammer's behavior toward her from him for the time being. She'd just told him that he was always at the cabin anyway, so there was no sense in leaving the alarm on.

When the door slid open, Jr.'s jaw dropped and not just because of how beautiful Shion looked. The way Shion was dressed called back memories of the dream he'd had all that time ago. Although he knew he was capable of having psychic visions of the future, he hadn't had one since the Miltian Conflict where his vision had forced him to break the link. While his dream of his and Shion's date couldn't be a perfect vision of the future, not with the way he looked at present and with the Foundation gone, his mind had envisioned the way she looked minus a very important detail that he planned to remedy very soon. Shion laughed at his expression, not understanding why he staring at her so. "Jr., you're not catching flies." She gently closed his mouth and he shook his head, recalling where he was.

"Sorry. It's just you caught me off-guard. Back before we got together, I had this dream about us, and you were dressed just like that. It was just a bit strange." He gazed at the white cocktail dress with thin spaghetti straps at the shoulders she was wearing appreciatively, and Shion raised an eyebrow at him. "Hey, I can't help the fact that I'm looking at the most beautiful woman alive and loving it. Would you rather I shudder and look away?" he said with a laugh.

Shion gave him a light tap on the shoulder, but her smile told him she wasn't offended. "No, I suppose that would be worse," she mused. "For someone with such an innocent-looking face, you say things that catch **me** off-guard sometimes." She paused for a moment, taking in what he was outfitted in. "Speaking of catching me off-guard, is that a tuxedo that you're wearing? Where did you manage to find that?"

He shrugged. "I just kept hitting all of the stores until I came across it. From your reaction, you'd think I never wear things like this."

Shion started laughing. It was a minute or so before she was able to reply. "One would think so, wouldn't one? So tell me, kind sir, just what are we doing tonight?"

Jr. gave her a mock glare. "Kind sir? Look, I know I'm older than you, but that makes it sound like I should be hunched over, muttering things to myself." Shion giggled at this description, and then Jr. held out an arm for her to take. Another raised eyebrow was aimed in his direction, but she took the arm silently. "You only need to know that we've got the lounge to ourselves tonight. Sometimes it's good to be the captain." He gave her a cocky grin, at which she gave a shake of her head, and then they set off for the lounge.

A while later, Jr. waved the droid away who had brought out Shion's birthday cake. The droid hopped away happily, ready to return to his post in the kitchen. Shion glanced at the cake and commented on it. "Jr., it's a beautiful cake. It must have taken the person or droid who decorated it hours to put together. There's so much detail with all of the flowers." Her gaze moved to Jr.'s face, and she took in the self-satisfied look on it in amazement. "Are you saying that you're the one who did this?"

Jr. grinned. "With a little help from Mary. She didn't seem overjoyed with the project, which was weird since she does love to bake. She mostly stood and supervised, and even she was surprised at how well it came out. She didn't think I had it in me. I'm glad you like it. I've got a gift for you, though, so how about you stop ogling the cake for a little bit?" Shion shot him a reproachful glare, but there was no real heat behind it. "I really hope you like what I got you," he said nervously. "Happy birthday, Shion." He took the small box out of the pocket inside the jacket he was wearing and handed it to her.

Shion opened the box slowly, shooting glances his way as she did so. Her gasp when she saw the contents didn't make the butterflies in Jr.'s stomach go away. She pulled the necklace out of the box and simply stared at it for a time. Finally she managed to breathe, "Jr., it's beautiful. I feel as though I should keep it in the box, though. The chain looks so fragile, and oh, what if I break it?"

Jr. got up and came around behind her. He gently removed the necklace from her hand and settled it around her neck, fastening the clasp. "Stop worrying so much. What I want to know is, do you like it? I know you said it's beautiful, but I want to make sure. If you don't, I'm sure I can have the man create something else more to your liking."

Shion reached up to take his hand and bring it to her cheek. "Jr., I love it. I'll never take it off. I'm afraid to now," she said with a soft laugh. She noticed a piece of paper still remaining in the box and she took hold of it. She read aloud, "'We have the past where we thought we were just friends, we have the present where we know we're so much more, and we'll have the future where nothing will ever separate us. You have my love, always. Jr.'" Her eyes shining, she got to her feet and took his hand, twining her fingers through his. "Who would have thought you're a closet romantic, Gaignun Kukai Jr.?"

Jr.'s laugh was low. "I'd prefer it if you kept that just between us. I can't lose my image, you know." He pulled Shion into his arms and their mouths met, hesitantly at first but then becoming almost fierce in their passion. Time passed, and then Jr. pulled back with a groan. "Okay, I'm thinking it's best if we don't do that. Things might get out of hand, and I don't want to put you in a position where you're forced to throw me off like some kind of raving lunatic."

Shion touched his face softly, and then she began to kiss the rim of his ear. "I won't throw you off like you're some kind of raving lunatic," she whispered, and Jr.'s spine straightened almost painfully as he took Shion by the shoulders to look into her eyes. Trying to keep his mind clear, which was nearly impossible since Shion had twisted away from his grasp to return to kissing his ear, he said a bit breathlessly, "Are you sure, Shion?" Her nod was all the assurance he needed, and the birthday cake was quickly forgotten.

Much later on, contentment and satisfaction flowing through every inch of his body, Jr. was gently stroking Shion's hair as he watched her sleep, her head resting lightly on his chest. He was exhausted, but he was a little afraid that if he were to fall asleep, he'd wake up to find this was nothing but another dream. So he only shifted slightly to make himself a bit more comfortable. _My God, all of these feelings I'm receiving from you tell me you've had a wonderful night, Rubedo. It's enough to make a normal person nauseous, and you know as well as I do I'm far from being normal. _Jr. answered lazily, "There is absolutely nothing you can say at this moment to get me angry. I don't have the energy."_ I'd say I wonder why that is, but I'm quite aware the princess is sleeping next to you, or perhaps it's better to say, on you. I'd rather not hear the details of your evening._ Jr. laughed quietly. "I wouldn't dream of telling you anyway. Some things are private, even from you." Albedo made a huffing sound and only said, _I think I'll return to my nice, little dreamworld. At least there I can mold things to my liking._

Jr. shook his head, ready to call Albedo back, but was startled by Shion's sleepy voice saying, "Jr.?" He kissed her temple and told her softly, "Go back to sleep. It's nothing."

Shion's green eyes met his blue ones, hers blinking drowsily and his drooping slightly. "Were you talking to Albedo? It certainly sounded that way."

Any thoughts of sleep fled Jr. at her words. He sat up and Shion followed suit slowly. "How did you know about Albedo, Shion? I've never said anything to you about him awakening."

Shion gave him a tiny smile and replied, "There have been a couple of times I've seen you doing what looked like talking to yourself. I think I know you well enough to say that's not really something you'd do. So I realized the only possible answer would be that Albedo had awakened within you. I didn't want to say anything to you until you'd spoken to me about it, though, since I thought it was something you needed to tell me and not something I needed to force out of you. This way seems to have worked out, however. Of course it's a little funny that you talk to him aloud," she teased.

Jr. shrugged in an off-hand manner. "Yeah, but I've done so since he woke up, so it'd feel strange to me to talk to him inside my head now. I'll only do it if I'm in front of someone and he has to ask me a question right then. I don't want to look like a total nutcase."

Shion gave a bit of a laugh at that but wisely refrained from commenting on it. Instead she changed the subject. "I'm a bit surprised at your...performance." Jr. raised an eyebrow at this, but he kept silent. "So I take it I'm far from being your first? Could I ask just how many women you've actually been with then?"

Jr. covered a cough with his hand and dipped his head to capture her lips with his. She pulled away to say, "Are you trying to distract me?" but her resistance ended when he shifted to a different position and covered her mouth with his yet again. Her arms curled around his neck and there were no more words spoken for quite a length of time.

Outside the men's cabin, Tony and Hammer were yawning as they approached the door, ready to pass out for the night. Captain Matthews was standing just to the side of the door, his face a rather alarming shade of red. He barked as Hammer attempted to enter the room, "Don't even think about goin' in there! Head for the lounge!"

Tony and Hammer glanced at one another in confusion, and Tony spoke up. "Is there a reason we can't go in there, sir? I'm so damn tired, I just wanna crash for the night."

Matthews managed to turn an even darker red. "Ya morons! Don't make me say it! Just be glad you weren't in my position a few minutes ago. You'll just have to sleep in the booths in the lounge tonight." His voice lowered slightly. "It's a damn good thing Allen fell asleep in the room with the Professor and Scott, because I wouldn't have wanted to see his reaction to walking in on what I did." Understanding flooded both Tony's and Hammer's faces, and they followed Matthews silently to the lounge. Once there, Tony spied the forgotten birthday cake and pounced on it. When Matthews started to protest, Tony waved him off, saying, "Look, there's no sense in letting it go to waste, is there? Little Master's getting a different kind of sugar right now anyway, so he won't be back for it." Hammer and Matthews both choked at Tony's words, but it wasn't very long before they joined him at the table.


	5. Familiar Symptoms

**Author's note** - First of all, the story has moved ahead a month like I said it would in the beginning. Second of all, Chapter 5 turned into a monster of a chapter, forcing me to split it into 3 separate ones. It makes it easier on the eyes that way. Happy reading everyone, and please, please review so I know how I'm doing.

Mary was on her way to find Scott at Hammer's request when she spied Shelley entering the women's cabin. Thinking to herself that Hammer wouldn't mind if Scott happened to be a little late in showing up, she decided to follow her sister. Shelley was sitting down on her bed when Mary entered, looking off into space. "Hey, sis," Mary greeted, and Shelley turned to her with a slightly resigned look on her face. Ignoring that for the time being, Mary sat down next to her and said bluntly, "I'm only gonna ask once, Shelley, and I want an answer. How come you been avoidin' me and everyone else on the ship? You've got the Little Mastah all down in the dumps when he sees you, and he's got enough on his plate with worryin' about this whole journey to Lost Jerusalem."

Shelley was silent for a minute or two, and Mary was just about to give her a shake when she finally spoke up. "I could ask you the same thing, Mary. You have been either avoiding Shion or being obnoxiously rude to her when forced to speak to her. Although I haven't been talking to her very much as of late, it is very obvious to me that the treatment she is receiving from you, Hammer and Tony is upsetting her. I would like to know just why this behavior has been happening."

Mary sighed and stood up to pace back and forth in front of her sister. Finally she stood still and put a hand on her hip, biting her lip in thought. Her eyes met Shelley's and then they dropped to the floor. In a small voice, she answered, "I know how much Little Mastah loves her. I also know how hurt Allen was when she ended things between them. I don't think I could stand to see her hurt Little Mastah that way. He's been through so much already, and I'm just worried she don't love him quite the way he loves her."

Shelley shook her head and said harshly, "You have no idea how Allen feels one way or the other, Mary. You have never been close to him. You barely talk to him, even now. So do not attempt to use him as an excuse for your atrocious behavior toward Shion." She got to her feet and started walking toward the door. Before she got there, though, she turned around once more to face Mary. "I know you care about Little Master and do not want to see him hurt, but I believe you should allow him to live his own life and care for whom he wishes. I also believe that Shion will not hurt him. I see her feelings for him in her eyes when she looks at him. You might see the same if you could put your own selfish feelings aside." She disappeared from the room to Mary's outraged gasp.

Mary stood there for a short time, debating about whether or not she should chase after her sister and set her straight about a few things. She knew very well what Shelley had been suggesting with her parting comment, that Mary still had lingering feelings for the Little Master and they were influencing her attitude toward Shion, but she was positive Shelley was very wrong. She of course had strong feelings for him, but she had known from the beginning that she wasn't the one for him. She was simply terrified that Shion wasn't either, and that the Little Master wouldn't be able to handle her leaving him. Suddenly Mary clapped a hand to her forehead. "She totally avoided my question by turnin' everything on me! I ain't never gonna pin her down about what's goin' on with her and the Little Mastah!"

Shelley was starting to feel that the Elsa was too small for her. The Durandal had so many places to disappear to when one wanted to avoid contact, and Shelley had often sought refuge within those places. She had never been one to mingle much; she simply did what was required of her and didn't form many bonds with others. Now it seemed that no matter where she turned, someone was there, trying to talk to her when all she really wanted was to be left alone. Lost in her thoughts, she at first didn't hear her name being called. When it finally penetrated the fog she was in, her mood dictated that she spin around and snap, "What?"

Allen reared back in surprised hurt at her tone. "I think I should have gone with my original instinct and let you keep going," he said with a tinge of soft regret in his voice. "Sorry to have bothered you."

Shelley touched his arm in apology as he turned to go. "It has been a very trying day, Allen. It just seems that when I wish for solitude, Mary is able to home in on my position." She sighed heavily and sat down on one of the booths ensconced in the corner. After a few seconds, Allen joined her but he remained silent, feeling Shelley's need to speak. Since she talked so rarely of herself, he wasn't about to open his mouth and cause her to retreat. "She refuses to cease asking me about why I avoid Little Master. I managed to turn things on her, but it will not work again. I'm growing weary of finding ways to slip away from her."

Allen had had this conversation with Shelley numerous times before, and it always ended exactly the same. She refused to speak to anyone about her feelings concerning Jr., and the one time Allen had been brave enough to question her on it, she had succinctly told him she preferred he not ask again. He doubted that this had changed within the last month, but he wanted her to know that he was there to listen if she needed him. "Shelley, do you think it might help if you were to talk about it with someone a little less close to the situation?"

Shelley leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "If there were someone of that nature on this ship, it is possible." Allen made a confused noise, and she knew instantly what his question was going to be. "You are just as close to the situation, Allen. You have a connection to Shion, and through that connection, also one with the Little Master. I do not fault you for that, but it renders me unable to speak to you about it as well. Maybe one day I can speak of it with you, but I trust you not to press me on the issue." She gave him a hint of a smile, and Allen touched her hand in sympathy.

"I won't ask you about it again, and you can rely on that. Can I ask something else instead, though? What do you mean when you say, 'a connection with Shion?' I haven't spoken to her much since our relationship ended." Allen's face didn't alter expression upon speaking these words, but Shelley knew him well enough to sense an underlying sadness.

"The two of you will always have a connection, Allen, and I am sure it will lead you back to one another in terms of friendship. Shion cares for you very much, just as you care for her. I also know that you will not begrudge her the relationship she has with Little Master, although it is difficult at this time for you to see her with him. You have only ever wanted her happiness for her, even if that meant her happiness lay elsewhere. You are a very special person, Allen Ridgeley." Shelley's smile lit up her face, and Allen realized that it was quite possibly the first time he'd seen her actually smile rather than give a slight upturning of her lips.

Getting to his feet, he gave her a lop-sided grin and said, "You're even prettier when you smile, Shelley. I wish I could see it more often." A slightly shocked look came over her face, but it faded quickly into another smile. "Thank you for the compliment, and for what you said. I only hope that I helped you half as much as you've helped me. It's always nice talking to you." He placed a hand on her shoulder for a brief few seconds and then he headed for the elevator, presumably to help the Professor and Scott with their continuing project. Shelley remained sitting for a while, contemplating the conversation.

Although it was difficult to tell the time being aboard the Elsa every minute of the day, everyone had managed to form some semblance of a schedule. Shion was in the kitchen with two droids, busily making dinner. Matthews had already poked his head in the room, demanding to know when the food would be ready. Shion had shooed him out rather irritably, telling him when it was brought out to them, he could stop worrying about it. "Would you like help bringing the dinner out to the humans?" the one droid inquired. Shion smiled and nodded, and the droid took a plate and hopped away toward the lounge.

As the other droid picked up another plate and disappeared, Shion put a hand to her forehead, feeling slightly dizzy. She put her other hand on the counter to keep her balance and waited for the sensation to pass. It didn't take very long, and she wondered if she was coming down with something. Shaking her head, she grabbed a plate herself and made her way to the lounge. She peeked into the room and saw Hammer and Tony had already been served. The first droid passed her and said helpfully, "I will serve Mary. You do not need to do so." Shion gave the droid a grateful glance and headed toward the table that Jr. was sitting at across from Matthews.

The door opened just as she arrived at the table. Jr. looked up and gave her a grin, but she was too busy serving Matthews to notice his eyes slide toward the new entry. The cerulean blue eyes narrowed slightly, and right after Shion had placed the plate in front of Matthews, Jr. took hold of her arm and pulled her into his lap. "Jr.?" she yelped in surprise, but she was prevented from saying anything else when his mouth took gentle possession of hers. She emitted a soft sigh and her arms circled his neck, her fingers threading through his crimson hair. Matthews groaned and turned away, abandoning his dinner for the moment.

At the door, Allen stiffened at the scene in front of him. Behind him, Shelley touched his shoulder. It was a rare occurrence for her to join everyone for dinner, but Allen had managed to convince her to come with him this time. Shelley was glad she had, because she knew she needed to redirect Allen's attention. "Allen, how about we sit in the booth in the corner? I find that I am quite famished right now, so perhaps we could convince the droids to bring out our dinner next." She took a firm hold of his arm and led him toward the booth. Allen came along willingly, but an alarming amount of emotions was passing across his face. She was able to get him to sit down, facing away from Jr. and Shion. "Allen?" she questioned softly.

Allen's eyes were a little unfocused, but when she spoke his name, he shook his head slightly and tried to smile at her. "It's okay, Shelley. I just wasn't expecting to walk into that is all. I've grown as used to her being with Jr. as I'm going to, but when I see her like that with him, it makes my heart ache a little. It's the part of me that's always going to love her. Out of the guys aboard the ship, I don't think I ever would have pictured her with Jr., and I do mean ever. So forgive me for reacting the way I did."

Shelley placed her hand over his, and Allen gave a small start of surprise, since Shelley never went out of her way to touch people. For as long as they had been friends, she still somehow managed to remain somewhat distant from him. It seemed this was changing, however, in that this was now the third time she had touched him in some way during the day. Deciding against mentioning it, he kept silent and allowed Shelley to talk. "You have nothing to apologize for. I understand your feelings, Allen, so please do not think you need to explain to me." She squeezed his hand, and he nodded in mute thanks.

A few days later, Shion was on her way toward KOS-MOS' old maintenance room. She might not go as often as she had before, but she did like to be there for a short amount of time about once a month now. She was just passing by the room that the Professor and Scott occupied when she felt that same dizziness she'd felt when making dinner hit her again, and much harder this time. Scott came to the doorway just in time to see her place a hand to her forehead, sway alarmingly, and then tumble to the floor. He rushed out to her side and said urgently, "Shion, are you okay? Wake up!" There was no response. Knowing the Little Master's temper as he did, and shuddering at what his reaction would be if he found out Scott had known about Shion's collapse and not rushed immediately to find him, Scott did exactly that after telling the Professor to stay by Shion's side.

Jr. pushed past Scott roughly in his need to get to Shion. She had come around by then and was perched on Ziggy's old maintenance chair, speaking to the Professor. Jr. skidded to a halt as he reached her and took her hand in his, examining her critically. Her color was off, and she was still slightly shaky. "Shion, what the hell happened?" he demanded. "Scott came upstairs and told me you passed out right in front of him!"

Shion said faintly, "I'm not really sure just what happened, Jr. I was on my way to KOS-MOS' room when I suddenly felt dizzy. I didn't have time to sit down because it hit me so fast and so hard. The next thing I knew, I was waking up to the Professor leaning over me." She rested her head against her free hand briefly before looking into Jr.'s worried eyes. "I'll be okay. The same thing happened the other night when making dinner and it passed quickly."

Jr. homed in on that and said swiftly, "The same thing happened then, and you didn't say anything to me about it? Are you telling me that you were lying in the kitchen before you came out and served dinner to us all? Shion, that's not something you just forget about!"

Shion placed a calming hand on his arm, seeing he was becoming agitated. "No, I didn't collapse in the kitchen. That same dizziness hit me, though, and I had to stop for a minute before I felt well enough to move again. So please don't make a fuss."

"A fuss?! I'm sorry that you don't feel the same as I do about this, but you've got me worried." A sudden thought struck Jr., and the terror that accompanied it was almost paralyzing. "Shion, your symptoms are the same as when U-DO was contacting you before! Is it happening again?"

Shion was quick to shake her head in negation. "No, this was just a simple faint, Jr. I didn't sense any contact from anything." She got a bit unsteadily to her feet and Jr. slid an arm around her waist to balance her. "Maybe I've just managed to catch a cold or something. It's strange, but now I just feel really tired. Could you walk me to the cabin? I'm still slightly light-headed, and I don't want to pass out again on the way."

Jr. brushed the back of his free hand across her cheek, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "You know you don't even have to ask." Scott and the Professor shot embarrassed glances at one another. Jr. and Shion tended to cause this reaction when they were together. They made anyone standing near them feel as though they were intruding upon a very private moment. Jr. seemed to recall that there were other people in the room and he nodded to Scott. "Thanks for coming to get me. It wouldn't have been pleasant if I'd found out about this later." As Jr. walked off with Shion, Scott swiped a hand across his suddenly sweaty forehead.

"Wow, I guess I really was tired!" Shion exclaimed quietly the next morning, or what would pass as morning for everyone aboard the Elsa. She had managed to sleep for close to twelve hours straight, and she felt much better than she had when Jr. had brought her to the room and helped her to lie down the afternoon before. She stretched lazily, and then swung her legs over the side of her bed. Making visual sweeps of Mary's and Shelley's beds, she saw they were both already gone. "Oh no, I was supposed to be on kitchen duty with Jr. this morning! I'd better hurry up and get dressed." After quickly grabbing the day's outfit, she rushed out of the room toward the lounge.

Entering the room, she came to a halt, panting. Just that small run seemed to have tired her out, so she put her hand against the frame of the door for a second to regain her bearing. Looking around the lounge, she saw the only person present was Matthews, and he was sipping what looked to be the special concoction he often needed after a night spent drinking. She sighed and moved further in. Matthews raised his head and gazed at her with bleary eyes. "Hey there, former Ms. Vector," he said with a hint of a slur.

Shion came to stand by the table he was sitting at. She cocked her head to the side and questioned, "When are you going to give up drinking, Captain? It doesn't agree with you at all."

Matthews gave a small growl and then put his head in his hands with a loud groan. "It's all that keeps me sane sometimes. When I feel like knocking those two morons' heads together, I head off for a drink and things don't look so bad. The only downside is dealing with the resulting hangover until this crap kicks in."

Shion laughed. Deciding he looked like he might need some more of the concoction, she took a step toward the bar. Matthews managed to sit up a bit straighter, and he sprang to his feet as quickly as his aching head would allow when he saw Shion crumple to the floor. "Yo!" He knelt by her side and spoke a bit frantically. "Come on, talk to me! You okay, or do I have to go get Little Master?"

Shion slowly turned her head to face him. Her face was pale, and her breathing was a bit erratic. She replied faintly, "No, please don't get him. He's worried enough." She tried to sit up, but she was only able to make it halfway before she slid back to her former position of lying on the floor. She brought a hand to her forehead and pressed gently on her temples. "I don't know what I've managed to come down with, but maybe I should contact Juli and see what she has to say. I know she's not a medical doctor, but she might be able to give some kind of diagnosis. This would be one of the times someone with actual medical and nanotechnological knowledge would be handy to have around."

Matthews suddenly shot her a grin. She raised an eyebrow at him, not understanding what he could possibly find funny at a time like this. He took her hand and helped her into a sitting position before answering. "I was just thinking, and it made me laugh. What if there's a little Little Master on the way?"

Shion was confused by his words. "What are you talking about? That doesn't even make sense, you know."

Matthews turned a dull red. Because Jr. and Shion were unaware of Matthews having walked in upon a rather private moment between them a while ago, they were unable to understand why he always looked like this when their feelings for one another surfaced in front of him. "You know what I'm talkin' about! You and Little Master are, aw, come on!" he begged pathetically.

Shion made the connection and stared at him, but her thoughts were obviously focused elsewhere. She made a mental count and then grabbed Matthews' hand again. He was slightly taken aback by the force with which she did so, but he didn't have time to try to extricate his hand from her grip before she tightened her already painful grasp on it. "Are you suggesting that I could be…pregnant?" she said wonderingly.

Even Matthews' ears turned brick red this time. "Look, I really don't wanna be havin' this conversation. It was a joke. I wasn't really serious." He breathed a sigh of relief and massaged his hand when she released it and then stood up. "Although there's the possibility since the two of you are…Aw, Jesus." He abandoned any pretense of normalcy at that point and departed the lounge as hastily as was humanly possible.


	6. Fight Nicely Children

**Author's note** - Chapter 5, part 2.

Shion remained behind for a few minutes, mulling over this new development. She was unsure as to how she was going to confirm or deny Matthews' suspicions. Again she cursed the lack of an expert in medical matters, but her mind suddenly turned toward MOMO. Recalling the time at the Foundation's beach when she, Allen, and MOMO had been discussing the possibility of Gaignun and Jr. being father and son, she wondered if MOMO could possibly observe her and see the change in her body if she was indeed pregnant. "I'd have to be careful, though," she thought aloud. "I don't want MOMO to know about Jr. and me because I'd hate for her to be devastated by it. So I'll have to hope and pray she can't observe who the father is, if I'm really pregnant." Still murmuring to herself, she left the lounge, her destination the UMN terminal just outside the bridge.

After Shion had left, Mary straightened up at the table in the back of the lounge. Her blue eyes were narrowed. Both Matthews and Shion had been unaware of her presence because she was slumped down in the booth after another encounter with Shelley. This time, Shelley hadn't even bothered to avert the conversation but had instead turned her back on Mary and walked out. Her sister's attitude toward her had Mary in a very negative and pessimistic mood. "So the lil' witch thinks the possibility exists that she's carryin' the Little Mastah's baby? Oh, if she only knew…"

Shion bounced a little impatiently as she waited for the connection to go through. She groaned when Miyuki's face appeared on the screen. "Miyuki, I need to talk to MOMO. Could you go and grab her for me? If she's busy, though, I'll try again later."

Miyuki cried, "Shion! It's been forever and a day since we talked last! It feels like you've been avoiding me." She pouted slightly, but then she went through one of her rapid mood shifts and a mischievous grin appeared. "So, how are things going with Allen? You two looked all comfy and cozy just before you left. I bet he's in seventh heaven."

Shion bit her lip. She knew she'd have to tread carefully with Miyuki because she was very quick to pick up on things she wasn't supposed to. "Miyuki, that's somewhat of a rude question, don't you think? The first thing out of my mouth when I saw you wasn't, 'So did you finally decide to give Togashi a chance?' was it? There's a little thing called tact, you know."

Miyuki waved a hand airily. "Tact is for people who are too afraid to ask questions. I have a need to know, so come on. I'm surprised he's not there with you. With how much time he spent hovering over your shoulder before, he has to be there somewhere, lurking in the background." She giggled and made a show of trying to search the area behind Shion.

Shion heaved a sigh. Miyuki could so easily drive her crazy, and she found she had even less patience for her than usual. She snapped, "Miyuki, I need to speak to MOMO. Just tell me if she's busy or not. If she isn't, kindly go and let her know I'd like to talk to her."

Miyuki pouted again. She was well-versed in Shion's treatment of her, even if it had been some time since the last occurrence, and it didn't bother her very much. She was far too fun-loving to allow much of anything to get her down. That didn't mean she didn't like to try and make Shion feel badly for talking to her like that, but it rarely if ever worked out that way. "Oh, okay then, if that's how you're going to be. I want to talk to you again after you talk to MOMO, so don't you dare end the connection before then." She pointed a finger at Shion and then disappeared in search of MOMO.

MOMO came rushing in from the side mere minutes later. Her face was beaming as she skidded to a halt. "Shion, it's so good to hear from you again! It's been so long since I've talked to you! I only ever talk to Jr. anymore, and he doesn't seem to say much more than he absolutely has to." Her golden eyes seemed to darken, and Shion looked away. "Anyway, how are things on the Elsa? How is everyone doing? And what exactly did you want to talk about?"

Shion's eyes were focused on the floor as she said quietly, "I need your observational abilities to confirm something for me, MOMO." Although she loved MOMO like a little sister, the fact was that this conversation was harder for her than she'd expected. She was terrified of giving something away and bruising MOMO's feelings. It was the last thing she wanted, and she had been the one to convince Jr. at the start of their relationship that MOMO was not to know until absolutely necessary. She also felt that they needed to tell her face-to-face because she deserved that much from them.

MOMO smiled at her, and then her eyes swept to her left side. Her eyebrows came together in a dubious look. "Miyuki, how come you're still here? I thought Togashi needed your help with something."

Shion groaned again. The absolute last thing she needed was for Miyuki to be present for what she needed MOMO to do. "Tell her she's got to leave, MOMO. This is a private conversation. I don't need her hanging around."

MOMO conveyed the message to Miyuki, who simply laughed. "Um, Shion? I don't think she's leaving. I'm really sorry. If you don't want to ask me now, I can understand."

Shion considered telling MOMO she would contact her again later, but there seemed to be no point in it. Miyuki would wait until she did so and make sure she was present for that conversation as well. She rested her forehead against her hand and sighed heavily. Lifting her head a few seconds later, she smiled at MOMO and said, "No, don't worry about it. What I need from you is pretty important, so I'll have to deal with the nose over there butting in where she's not wanted." She paused to gather courage and then spoke in a rush. "MOMO, I need you to see if I'm pregnant."

MOMO's mouth formed an O of surprise. "Oh, Shion, that would be wonderful! Of course I'll do it!" Her eyes closed in concentration, and Shion waited nervously. Not much later, MOMO opened her eyes again and gave Shion a gigantic smile. "Yes, it's true. I can sense the hormonal shift in you, and I can even sense the baby's DNA pattern. It seems a bit off, though. I'm not quite sure why. Oh, but Allen is going to be thrilled! I can't even begin to imagine the two of you as parents!" She giggled.

Shion sucked in a breath. As she'd been afraid of, MOMO was sensing too much and she needed to put an end to this before MOMO's observational skills picked up on just who the baby's father was. "Thanks so much, MOMO. I'm going to have to get going, so maybe I'll talk to you again soon."

MOMO nodded, her happiness for Shion apparent even through the UMN terminal. She seemed about to say something when her attention shifted somewhere else. She turned back to Shion and said quickly, "Mommy's calling me, so I've got to go. Be sure to tell Allen how happy I am for you guys after you tell him the good news!" She hurried off, her skirt flouncing around her.

Miyuki was there in a flash. She eyed Shion knowingly, seeing Shion's finger hovering over the button that would end the communication. "Oh no, you don't. I told you I needed to talk to you after you spoke to MOMO. Now just what is going on over there? You're all flustered whenever we mention Allen. Did something happen, and if it did, how exactly did this miracle occur?"

Shion was about to reply scathingly when arms suddenly slid around her waist and Jr.'s low voice whispered in her ear, "Hey there. Fancy meeting you here." Shion nearly jumped out of her skin. She glanced wildly at the screen and saw Miyuki standing there with a dumbfounded look upon her face. Jr.'s eyes slid to the screen and he muttered, "Crap," as the fact that Miyuki was staring at the two of them registered.

Miyuki recovered swiftly, as was par for the course for her. One simply couldn't be as into everyone else's business as she was without the capability to take something unexpected in and process it at a rate unknown to regular people. The mischievous grin in place once again, she spoke with an obvious laugh in her voice. "First of all, hello there, Jr. It's been quite a while since I've seen you and it looks to me as though you've gotten taller. Lookin' good," she said, winking suggestively. Jr. flushed, his arms dropping to his sides. "And second of all, just what the hell is going on over there?" she demanded. "How come all of the interesting stuff seems to be happening on the Elsa? That's not fair, because I'm stuck here!"

Jr. forced a laugh. "What are you talking about? I was only joking with Shion. Being onboard this ship gets a little boring sometimes, so I just thought I'd have a little fun is all." He backed up a few feet away from Shion.

Miyuki lifted a disbelieving eyebrow. "Hmm, I always heard you were a smooth talker, but that's the worst excuse I've heard from a man, ever. So, now that I've been made aware of this new development, how come you're keeping it secret?" She started bouncing up and down, her excitement over learning of the secret plain. And once Miyuki knew a secret, it certainly never stayed that way for long.

Knowing of Miyuki's propensity for gossip, Shion placed both hands on the terminal panel and pinned Miyuki in place with a glare. "You are not to breathe a word of this to anyone. I mean it, Miyuki. If you care about MOMO as a friend, you have to make sure you don't say anything. This will truly devastate her. You know how she feels about Jr. This isn't something the two of us planned on, but it happened. I can't stand the thought of MOMO finding out about it, though, and being hurt. So, please keep this to yourself," she said desperately.

Miyuki glanced toward the direction MOMO had taken off in. Her eyes returned to Shion and Jr., who had gone back to holding Shion since Miyuki hadn't bought his lie. "I won't say anything that will hurt her, I promise. She's such a sweetheart and so helpful. You need to promise me something, though. Tell her what's going on."

Shion pressed back against Jr., and he groaned softly. His arms tightened around her, and she could tell he'd already lost track of the conversation. He'd never much cared for Miyuki anyway, so she wasn't at all surprised by that. "When we all meet again, we'll tell her. It's something she needs to hear in person, not something we need to take the coward's way out of and tell her over an open communication." At Miyuki's nod, Shion reached out and pushed the button, ending the transmission.

Jr. turned her around in his arms, his eyes clearly telling Shion where his mind had gone to. She pressed a hand against his chest with a giggle. "Okay, I need you with me in the here and now, because we need to talk."

Jr. growled and pulled her close, his lips skimming over hers. "I'm in the here and now, but I'd rather it take place somewhere a little more…comfortable, shall we say?" Seeing Shion give him a serious look, he sighed and stole one last kiss. "Okay, let's go to the men's cabin since it's empty right now. Two birds with one stone," he told her with a wink, and she laughed at him. Taking her hand, he set off in the direction of the cabin.

Jr. sat down on the bed he'd claimed and pulled Shion down next to him. "This had better be good, because this should really be getting a different kind of use." Shion hit him in the shoulder, and he subsided. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Now that she was faced with the prospect of telling him, Shion found she was more than a little nervous. She wasn't sure how he would react to the news, and that frightened her. She turned her back on him. "I wasn't going to tell you, but I fainted again this morning." Jr. started to speak, but she continued on over him. "Matthews said something that got me to thinking. So I had to talk to MOMO to see if she could confirm what I was thinking."

Jr. forced her around to face him, his face registering confusion. "What could you need MOMO for? What would she need to confirm?"

Shion took a deep breath. Biting down hard on her lip, she thought to herself, _It's now or never. No matter how he takes it, I have to tell him._ She lowered her head and said very quietly, "Jr., I'm pregnant. That's what I needed MOMO to confirm for me."

Jr.'s face went carefully blank. In a conversational tone, he said, "Is that a fact? Tell me then, just who have I been sharing you with?"

Shion's head shot up and she looked at him, her eyes pools of deep hurt. "What do you mean? You haven't been sharing me with anyone. I've been nothing but faithful to you!"

Jr. laughed harshly, and he climbed to his feet. "Do you expect me to believe such an obvious lie?" His blue eyes cold, he stood in front of Shion and told her, "Maybe it would be better for both of us if I allowed this mystery man to have you without you needing to sneak back to me."

Shion was on her feet in an instant. She breathed, "How dare you accuse **me** of faithlessness with the amount of women you've obviously been through?"

"What's the matter? I take it you didn't expect to get caught in your lie. Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, sweetheart. Besides, while I enjoy the pleasure of your company in my bed, you're certainly not irreplaceable," he taunted her crudely.

The slap came so rapidly and unexpectedly, that it rocked Jr. back on his heels. His eyes started to blaze with a familiar red light as he brought a hand to his now smarting cheek. "I was afraid to tell you, afraid of how you might react, but I never would have believed you could say these cruel, hurtful, and most of all, untrue things to me. If I'm so damn replaceable, though, go talk to Mary because I'm sure she'd be more than happy to oblige her Little Master!" Shion took notice of the red aura enveloping Jr. then and shouted, "You don't even have anything to be so angry over, that your Red Dragon should be activating! And I'm not one bit frightened of you, you coward! If you think it's easier to blame someone else for my condition than to take responsibility for it yourself, then so be it! It just means that after all of this time, you don't know me at all!"

Jr. started to shudder as he fought to keep his Red Dragon contained. His hands clenched into fists, he yelled back, "You've got that right! I obviously never knew a goddamn thing about you, and you never knew a goddamn thing about me! And what the hell do I have to be so angry about, you dare to freakin' ask me? How about the fact that you've been messing around with some other guy behind my back!" He grabbed his middle and folded almost in half, the rage filling him and threatening to spill over.

Shion screamed, "I have never cheated on you! When would I have had the damn time, you idiot? We're nearly always together, and when we're not, I'm in plain view of someone who can report to you my exact movements of the day!" Hormones taking over, her green eyes filled with tears and she choked out, "I loved you, and I would never have sullied that love by sleeping with someone else." Nearly blinded, she spun around and rushed out of the cabin, not noticing in her haste and emotional state that Matthews, Tony and Hammer were huddled outside the cabin, staring at one another in shock.

_Rubedo, calm down._ Jr. grabbed his head in his hands and spoke through clenched teeth. "Albedo, leave me the hell alone!" His shaking was rapidly getting worse, and he wanted nothing more than to release all of the pent-up rage and fury the fight with Shion had brought him. _Rubedo, I said CALM…DOWN…NOW!_ Albedo's voice cut through the din resounding in Jr.'s head. Slowly the shaking began to ease, and his breathing became less erratic. "Jesus," he moaned, lifting his head experimentally and finding it only ached slightly. "I'd forgotten just how strong it can be. It's been so long since I've felt all of that within me. Damn it all to hell! Why would Shion cheat on me? I gave her everything I had." Because he was alone, and only for that reason, Jr. collapsed on the bed and buried his face in his hands, giving in to the tears that had threatened to fall during the confrontation with Shion.

_Rubedo, you need to start thinking rationally._ Jr. laughed a bit hysterically. "Can't you see I'm trying to have a moment to myself, Albedo? Give me a break." _I've barely spoken to you these last few months, _Albedo said with a sniff. "Then why speak up now? Can't I for once in my life just wallow in my own self-pity?" Jr. asked miserably. _I'm speaking up because despite my feelings regarding the princess, I know the depth of your devotion to her. It's actually breaking my no longer existent heart to hear you mourn her like this. So, I'm going to do something I never thought possible of me, and that would be to selflessly put aside my own feelings and tell you what I perceived from her reactions to your idiocy._

Jr. narrowed his eyes at the jab. "That's the second time I've been accused of being an idiot today. I'm growing a bit resentful, if you wanna know the truth." He could sense Albedo waiting impatiently, so he waved a hand and said, "Fine, tell me what you think." _I never sensed guilt in any of her reactions or words. Shock, surprise, and hurt were prevalent, but not one note of guilt ever entered her voice. She was telling the truth, Rubedo. She's been faithful to you from the very beginning._ Jr. slammed a hand down on the bed. "Albedo, it's not possible for her to have been faithful! You know as well as I do that…" His voice trailed off, and he bit down on his lip so hard that he drew blood.

_I realize precisely what you're speaking of, but I think you owe it to both yourself and little Miss Princess to try and talk things over once again. Rubedo, I know you are madly in love with her and, as much as this thought disturbs my sleep as well as my also non-existent stomach, you will be lost without her, _Albedo said with as little asperity as he could manage. Jr.'s head came up abruptly. "She said she loved me," he said suddenly. He felt Albedo's silent question and replied, "In the time we've been together, neither of us has said that. We've both been through so much; I think we were just too scared to admit it. Before she stormed out, though, I heard her say she loved me. I have to go and talk to her!" Albedo said dryly, _I do believe that was what I was attempting to lead you toward. You do catch on rather slowly, Rubedo._

Jr. rushed to the women's cabin and attempted to barrel through the door. "Males are restricted from entering this cabin," said a pleasant female voice.

Jr. pounded on the door in frustration. "She put the alarm back on! Son-of-a… Shion, come on and please open the door!" he yelled.

The female voice sounded again, this time saying, "If you persist in attempting to force entry, drastic measures will be taken. For your own safety, please step away from the door." Jr. ignored the voice, repeating his plea to Shion and continuing to pound on the door. "You have been sufficiently warned, sir." Jr. let out a yell as he was blown back away from the door and into the railing behind him. He sat on the floor for a few seconds, reeling. He made a quick mental note to tell Matthews the alarms were to be removed, and then knowing in his heart Shion wasn't in the cabin, he jumped up and rushed headlong into the elevator.


	7. A Reconciliation and More

**Author's note **- And here's the final part of Chapter 5. Can you see why it was better to split it up?

Stopping outside of KOS-MOS' old maintenance room, a bolt of fear shot up his spine. "What if she won't even speak to me anymore, Albedo? I acted like a total jackass with her, and she'd have every right to tell me where to go." Albedo laughed, and then, realizing that was not the reaction his twin was looking for, sobered up to answer, _If you stand outside this room, debating with yourself and me about it, you'll never know how she feels. The longer the amount of time you allow to pass, the angrier she'll be when you finally do find the courage to speak to her. Fear is not part of your nature, Rubedo, so step up and prove it._ Jr. took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, managed to remember to blow it out, and then stepped into the unknown.

As he'd thought, Shion was in the room, curled up in the small sofa she'd had installed in it. She was facing away from him, but he could see her shoulders shaking, indicating that she was crying. Jr. wished there was a way he could take all the pain he'd just caused her away, but they needed to settle things between them first, for better or worse. He stepped further into the room, and Shion stiffened slightly but otherwise gave no hint that she knew he was there. "Shion, do you think we could talk?" he asked.

Shion turned her head away and hid her face in her shoulder, refusing to answer. He decided a safe place for him to be right then was leaning against the computer terminal. 'Don't touch me' signs were rolling off of her in waves, and he didn't want to anger her even more and have her run out on him again. "Okay, I'm going to talk, and I hope you'll listen. I acted like an ass back in the cabin. I know that, and I'm so damn sorry for it," he said softly. Her small sniffle could have been a noise of agreement, but he wasn't quite sure. He sighed and ran a hand through his already mussed hair. "I swear to you that I had a reason for it, though."

She glanced at him sideways through her wet eyelashes and then quickly averted her face again. She said in an obviously hoarse from crying and rather muffled voice, "I'm listening. Tell me what your reason is."

Jr. started pacing. He did this often because he tended to think better when he was active, but this particular time was due to his nervousness. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke. "I told you about the mutations the URTVs were subjected to so that their anti-U-DO waves were developed to be as strong as possible. The variants, of which you know I'm one of, were subjected to even heavier mutations. It's why our hair and eye color are different, our waveforms were stronger, and we had our own separate personalities. Those mutations came with a price, though. From the time we were old enough to understand, Dad told Albedo, Nigredo, err, Gaignun, I mean, and me that we would never be able to father children. It never bothered Albedo…" _It still doesn't, or rather, it wouldn't if I was still in possession of my own body, _Albedo interrupted. "Albedo, shut up!" Jr. hissed. With a sniff, Albedo relegated himself to his usual position of watcher.

"Nigredo I was never sure about when it came to his feelings. He always set himself a bit apart and never really showed much, you know? It really upset me, though, especially when I met Sakura and learned that there were girls out there, and that I could possibly fall in love with one. Sakura gave me so much, but in a way, I hated her for opening my eyes to that possibility. I think the person I hated most, though, after Dad, of course, was Citrine. She didn't have that taken away from her. Since she was the possessor of the MtDNA, she had to have the ability to procreate. Dad needed to ensure that the URTV line could continue without the original donor." Jr. came to an abrupt halt, trying to seize control of his feelings before he continued on.

"Over the years, I never had cause to doubt what Dad had told us. You've figured out that I've been with a number of women, and not a single one of them ever ended up pregnant with my child. And in case you're wondering, I never used any form of protection since I didn't think I needed to. The only person outside of anyone having to do with the URTVS who knew about my sterility was Mary. This would be why I hated being called a URTV by anyone. It just reminded me of all that I could never have." He turned away and put his hands on the panel, breathing deeply against the revived hurt the conversation was bringing him.

Behind him, he heard Shion get to her feet and then cross slowly to him. She touched his shoulder gently and whispered, "Why didn't you tell me? This wasn't something that you should have kept to yourself."

Jr. lowered his head, squeezing his eyes shut against tears that were forming. "You're already stuck with me looking like this. I don't know if my body is going to continue growing, or if I'm stuck just like this until I die. Dammit, I didn't want you to have to deal with the knowledge that you wouldn't ever have children if you stayed with me too!"

Shion moved away from him, shaking her head along the way. "You are such an idiot, do you know that? I don't decide how I'm going to feel about someone based on whether or not I'll be able to have children with them. It's about whether or not I'm in love with that person, Jr. I want to understand something, though. Why were you so quick to believe that I had cheated on you? Even knowing what I do now, you could have told me all of this up in the cabin and we could have discussed it a bit more rationally."

Jr. chewed on his lip, knowing the moment of truth had arrived for him. Closing his eyes for a brief second and then reopening them, he gradually turned to face her, already dreading telling her. "It's because I'm so damn jealous and scared, I can't see straight. I don't know why you're with me, and I'm scared to death you'll wonder why you are too and come to your senses."

Shion tilted her head to the side, her expression confused. "What could you possibly have to be jealous of? I've been over and over everything we've said and done over the time we've been together, and I know I never gave you a reason to think I'd leave you."

Jr. pushed away from the computer terminal and began pacing again rapidly. Shion took the few steps to reach his side and grabbed his hand to bring him to a stop. His blue eyes awash with unshed tears, he spoke, his words almost jumbling together in his haste to say them and deal with Shion's resulting feelings. "It's because of Allen. I know the two of you still care for one another, and Jesus, Shion! He's in his proper body, not stuck in one that should belong to a fourteen-year-old! I'm terrified that you'll realize you'd rather be with him, and I hate him for still having a part of your heart that I can't get to!"

Shion brought both hands to Jr.'s face, placing them on either side of it. Staring into his eyes, she told him softly but firmly, "It's you that I love. Allen is special to me, and I admit that. He does not hold the key to my heart, though, because only you do."

Tears now falling freely, Jr. pulled her into his arms roughly and took fierce possession of her mouth. Not daunted in the least, she snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him back just as aggressively. A short time later, he managed to wrest himself away, breathing heavily. He took a minute to bring his raging emotions under a tenuous control before he trailed a finger down her cheek and said quietly, "I love you, Shion. I know I've never said it because, as you and Albedo have been kind enough to let me know, I am an idiot. It doesn't mean I've never felt it." Shion gave him a beaming smile, and he turned her in his arms so that her back was pressed against his front. He heard her sound of confusion, but he only said, "Just wait." His hands moved the hem of her shirt up and then they rested upon her bare stomach. He caressed it almost reverently and whispered in her ear, "That's us growing in there. Thank you so much for giving me something I thought I could never, ever have."

Shion placed her hands on his. She remained silent, but he could sense the contentment radiating from her. "I'm sorry I was such a jackass. I wish I could take back all of those things I said to you," he said, his tone full of regret. She turned to him again and placed a finger to his lips. Taking his hand, she led him to the sofa. As they sat down, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Maybe we should head up to the cabin. I know this place is special to you. I don't want to…"

Shion pulled him down over her. She said with a small smile playing upon her lips, "I think KOS-MOS would understand the reasons behind our actions. Now be quiet and kiss me." Jr. grinned and bent his head, only too happy to oblige.

Some time later, he lifted his head with a groan. "You certainly know how to tire a guy out." His eyes heavy-lidded, he rested his forehead against hers. "Despite that, I could stand to go another round."

She gave a low laugh. "You, sir, are insatiable." She nipped gently at his ear, and he groaned again.

"That's not playing at all fair." He kissed along her shoulder and then pressed his mouth to the hollow in her throat. He raised his head and stared into her eyes then. "You didn't take it off, despite being completely pissed off at me."

She brought a hand to the necklace he'd given her for her birthday. "I never have. I told you I wouldn't, remember? And despite being angry enough to want to toss you out into space and leave you there as we continued on our way, my treacherous heart reminded me of that when I went to rip it off." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he chuckled.

"I'm glad your heart still thought of me. That was a pretty expensive piece of jewelry, you know." He tried to dodge the punch she aimed at his shoulder, but that would have required falling off of the sofa, so he decided to take it gracefully. His hand moved to her stomach again, and his eyes met hers. "I think an announcement is in order, Ms. Uzuki. What do you think?"

Shion shifted lazily. "If it requires getting up, could we save it for a slightly later time? I'm pleasantly numb all over."

Jr. hopped to his feet and began picking up their discarded clothing. "Nope, I'm up and moving, so you get to be too." He hurried back to her and, after both quickly dressed, grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room to head for the elevator.

Luckily, they made it into the lounge at the beginning of dinner. Allen and Shelley seemed to be in charge of the food and serving this time, and everyone was gathered together. Jr. aimed a glance at Shion, and since both were occupied with staring into the other's eyes, they missed the looks the original Elsa crew exchanged. Tony muttered, "Things look a whole lot better than they did when she came running out the cabin, so that should mean we don't have to worry about Little Master's legendary temper, huh?"

Hammer nodded and leaned in to reply, "Yeah, so I guess Allen's still out of luck. I think he needs to give up on her and move on."

Matthews brought a hand to his head. "You two morons are like little old ladies. And everyone wonders why the hell I drink." Unfortunately, he saw the kiss Jr. and Shion were sharing, and he lowered his head to his arms, his face already turning an unpleasant red.

Sliding an arm around Shion's waist, Jr. said loudly, "Hey everyone, I've got an announcement I'd like you all to hear! It seems that in about eight months, give or take, the Elsa's going to have a brand new passenger. Shion's pregnant!" he ended with a satisfied grin.

There was a loud crash, and everyone's gazes flew to see Allen standing stock-still by the bar. He'd dropped the plate and glass he'd been carrying and was staring at Shion with what could only be termed a horrified look. Shelley was at his side immediately. She told Mary in a firm tone, "Please clean this up. It was meant to be your dinner, after all." Ignoring Mary's huff, she took Allen by the hand and directed him out of the room and back into the kitchen.

Mary left the mess on the floor for the time being to stalk over to Jr. and Shion. She put her hands on her hips as she stared at Jr., who raised an eyebrow at her. "Little Mastah, ya know that's totally impossible! Why are ya claimin' it as yours?"

Jr.'s eyes iced over as he returned Mary's look. "I'm claiming the baby as mine because it is. All you need to know is that what Dad told me turned out to be a load of bull. Obviously, I just needed the right woman to prove it, though." His arm tightened around Shion's waist, and he moved his head, indicating Mary should go. She did so, but her lips were white with suppressed anger, and she planned on getting Little Master on his own to discuss the new turn of events with him.

Matthews stood to congratulate the two of them, but his gaze was focused to the side, and his ears were suspiciously red. Tony and Hammer shook Jr.'s hand but just nodded to Shion. She pressed closer to Jr., knowing quite well that their feelings on her hadn't changed. She was worried about Allen, but with her present condition and Jr.'s declaration of honesty concerning his feelings when it came to Allen, she thought it best if she left handling Allen up to Shelley.

In the kitchen, Allen was supporting himself by leaning against the counter. His face was white, and Shelley was beginning to fear he was going to faint on her. "Allen, please talk to me. You are starting to scare me, and I have no idea what to do!"

He turned to her with a strained smile. "I'll be okay, Shelley. I just need a little time to myself right now. Could I be alone for a while?" Placing a hand on her shoulder, he said quietly, "I mean it, Shelley. You don't have to keep looking at me like you're expecting me to sprawl on the floor. I just need to sort through some things, and once I do, I promise I'll come talk to you." With that oath ringing in her ears, Shelley took the hand from her shoulder and squeezed it before giving him a sad smile and leaving the room.


	8. View From Another Ship

**Author's note **- This chapter deviates from the Jr.xShion-ness and the AllenxShelley-ness. It concerns MOMO, but I'm not overwhelmingly confident in my ability to write her all that well. She was begging for some time, though, especially with what's been going on. Please let me know if I manage to write her somewhat convincingly. begs nicely

MOMO rushed down the stairs and found Juli waiting for her along with Ziggy. "What is it, Mommy? I was busy talking to Shion, and it was so nice to hear from her again! I miss all of them so much, and Jr. doesn't seem to want to talk to me anymore," she sighed sadly. Her golden eyes downcast, she came to stand by her mother.

Juli turned to her and swept some of her pink hair out of her face. "There's quite a bit of distance between you and Jr. now, sweetheart. He may not be all that comfortable speaking to you over the new UMN network. I'm sure everything is perfectly fine, and you're worrying over nothing." She smiled down at her, and MOMO attempted to smile back.

_Mommy isn't around when I talk to Jr. She doesn't see how he is while we're talking. He barely even looks at me anymore, and he always seems to be in a rush to finish the conversation. I wish he hadn't left,_ MOMO thought to herself sadly. Aloud she replied, "Yeah, maybe you're right, Mommy. Maybe I'm just imagining things. So what did you call me for? Is Doctus still having problems with gate jumps? I don't think we're going to be able to get those back the way things have been looking."

Ziggy shook his head in response. "No, it seems that she has abandoned that particular issue for now. The reason why Juli called you is because we are picking up a strange reading. We thought perhaps you might be able to tell what it is."

MOMO followed the both of them to the room where they had first discovered the unknown reading. She gazed at the monitor in consternation for a length of time and then turned to them, tilting her head as she did so. "I'm not quite sure, but it looks to me like it might be another place that managed to survive what happened. I'd be surprised because I thought we'd gotten all of the survivors by now, but we'll definitely need to go and check on it."

Juli was quiet for a minute or so, seemingly lost in thought. Finally she sighed and said softly, "MOMO, it's very possible that there were survivors in the beginning. After the amount of time, though, if they haven't had any communication with anyone outside, their chances aren't impressive. They would have no way of knowing that you and Doctus were able to establish a good percentage of the new network."

MOMO shook her head rapidly, not wanting to accept that possibility. "Mommy, we still have to go! If there's even one survivor, it'll be worth saving that person! So we need to head in that direction immediately." Her resolution was so strong, that Juli smiled at her and nodded in assent.

On her way to check in with Doctus and see if she needed her assistance with anything, MOMO happened upon Miyuki walking along in what appeared to be a daze. "Miyuki," she called out, "are you okay? You look a little frazzled." She hurried to Miyuki's side, and Miyuki seemed to come to her senses and notice MOMO's presence.

The instant she did, however, she looked very uncomfortable. "Um hi, MOMO," she said uneasily. "Was there something you needed me for? If not, I really, really need to go and find Togashi. You know he was looking for me before, and I'm sure it was something very important."

MOMO's golden eyes held confusion as she looked at Miyuki. "Miyuki, what's wrong? I don't think I've ever seen you like this. You're always so bubbly and happy."

Miyuki drew a deep breath and let it out. _For the first time in my life, there's a secret I wish I didn't know. I don't know how I'm going to keep this from MOMO. Oh, if only Shion hadn't made me promise!_ Cutting short her inner reflections, she tried to smile at MOMO. "Today is just one of those days. It has nothing to do with you, though, okay? I'd better get going now." She gave MOMO a quick hug and rushed away.

MOMO sighed and rested her closed hand against her cheek in thought. Miyuki had been perfectly fine up until her conversation with Shion. "Maybe Shion told her something that she wasn't expecting? Oh, I hope everything is okay between Shion and Allen! Especially with a baby on the way now!" She said a silent prayer for Shion and Allen and then she continued on her way.

It took almost a week for them to reach the location of the signal they'd received. As it came into view, MOMO let out a gasp. "Mommy, it survived! I can't believe that after everything, it somehow managed to make it through okay!"

Juli stroked MOMO's hair in a distracted manner. She was still very worried that there would be no survivors, and if that were the case, MOMO would be devastated, now that she could see the source of the reading. She forcibly reined her pessimism in and smiled gently at her daughter. "Now we'll need to go and see how everyone is. I'm sure they'll be very happy to see us."

MOMO gazed, awestruck, as the Foundation grew larger and larger. It appeared to have escaped unscathed, but it was a saddening sight not to see the Durandal docked within it. "Okay, let's hurry! Once we make sure that everyone is all right, I'll need to call Jr. and let him know about this. He's going to be so happy!" She hugged herself, her joy at being able to convey such wonderful news to Jr. obvious.

Juli and Ziggy followed along behind MOMO, talking softly so she wouldn't overhear them. "I fear that MOMO is going to discover unpleasantness here. I have tried to analyze ways that the people of the Foundation could have survived this length of time, but as of yet, I have found none," Ziggy told Juli.

Juli replied, "I'm of the same opinion, but MOMO doesn't want to hear of it. She's convinced that everyone will be fine, and I don't want to dampen her enthusiasm. She's worked so hard to rescue as many survivors as she possibly could. We can only hope that at least some of the people were able to survive somehow."

MOMO had raced on ahead, ducking into different residences and shops. She had been emerging alone so far, and she was beginning to look very downcast. Her final destination was the Iron Man bar, and from the set of her shoulders, she wasn't expecting to discover anything different. She didn't reappear immediately, which worried both Ziggy and Juli. They quickened their paces and hurried to the bar as well. Both their faces registered surprise when they saw MOMO surrounded by a crowd of people. She was beaming as she spun to them.

"Look! They're all doing just fine! Johnny told me that King decided they should have daily meetings to keep everyone's spirits up, and we just happened to show up at the wrong, or right, time." She took in all of the people gathered around with her eyes and she smiled at them, joy evident in every line of her body. "We're so happy that you're all alive and doing so well! I know this place is your home, but we're here because the ship we're traveling on can support you in a much better fashion. Will you come back with us?" No one disagreed, and it was with happiness that MOMO made her way back as Ziggy and Juli expressed their relief to one another.

After everyone had been settled in, MOMO set off for one of the communication rooms. She waited impatiently for the signal to connect to the Elsa but smiled widely when Tony filled the screen. "Hi Tony! It's so nice to see you! How is everything going for you?"

Tony grinned at her. "Hey kiddo, everything is fine here. Nice to see your sweet, smiling face again, though. It's a bright spot in the day. You're all aglow about something, though. What's up?"

MOMO giggled. "Yeah, I have some really good news. Do you know if Jr. is around? It's something he'd really like to hear."

Tony was silent as he thought. Finally he said, "I haven't seen him recently, but you can be sure he's probably hanging around Sh-" He cut himself off abruptly, coughing. "Uh, I mean he's been busy with lots of things on the ship, but I'll quick go and see if I can spot him for you." He turned and raced off, and MOMO was left wondering why he seemed so ill-at-ease.

A few minutes later, Jr. appeared. "Hey MOMO," he greeted wearily. "Tony said you wanted to see me?"

MOMO bounced a little, trying to contain her happiness at being able to tell him about the Foundation. Before Jr., Shion, and the others had set off on their journey, Jr. had been convinced the Foundation had been destroyed. They hadn't had the time to actually find out for certain, because Shion had wanted to start immediately. He hadn't seen a way that it would have made it through, so he'd put aside his wish to see for himself to fulfill chaos' request. MOMO knew good news like this would settle his mind and allow him to concentrate fully on the journey.

"Oh Jr., I have the most wonderful news! You know how we've been rescuing any survivors we've come across?" Jr. nodded, but he seemed slightly distracted. MOMO's face fell a little, but she bravely continued on. "Mommy and Ziggy came across a strange signal about a week ago. We decided to head in its direction, and imagine our surprise when we found out it was the Foundation! It made it through, Jr.! And everyone was okay too."

Jr. nodded again, but he didn't anything in response to the news. MOMO bit her lip. She'd expected a happy reaction from him after how worried he'd seemed. Instead he barely seemed to be paying attention to her. Suddenly she knew just what was on his mind. "Are you worried about Shion? I bet the fact that she and Allen are having a baby has everyone a little scared."

Jr.'s head snapped toward her. "Huh?"

MOMO brought her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide. "Oh no! Did she not tell everyone? She didn't say it was supposed to remain a secret, so I thought she'd tell Allen and then they would tell everyone on board. I feel so awful for blurting out the news like that!"

Jr.'s blue eyes narrowed, and he started furiously, "The baby isn't-" He clenched his teeth together, halting the flow of his words. He straightened to his full height, and his eyes were now focused on something to the side of him.

MOMO's eyebrows came together in confusion. "Jr., what are you trying to say? The baby isn't…what?"

Jr. drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "MOMO, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to talk to you like that. You're right. I'm a little distracted by the whole baby thing, and plus we're going to need to set the Elsa down somewhere because she's acting funny. Too many things have come up at once. Thanks for telling me about the Foundation. It's good to hear that all of the residents are safe and healthy."

MOMO's gaze fell to the floor, and she wished it didn't feel like he was shutting her out. Things between them had felt so strained as of late, and she didn't know how to fix it. "Jr…."

He finally seemed to focus the whole of his attention on her. "It's nothing. Please don't worry about me, okay? You take care of yourself over there." He managed to give her a weak smile and then he reached out to end the transmission.

MOMO stood there for some time after, trying not to cry. Any conversation she had with Jr. now always ended the same way. He was polite but distant with her. It hurt her much more than she acknowledged to anyone. She could feel him pulling away from her, and she had wondered on more than one occasion if things would be different if she'd been allowed to go with them. "There's not much sense in dwelling on it," she mused sadly.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry," came Juli's quiet voice from the doorway. MOMO spun around and, seeing the sadness she felt reflected in her mother's eyes, rushed into Juli's embrace. The tears she'd been holding back finally broke free, and she simply cried as Juli held her and stroked her hair comfortingly. No words were spoken, because despite her heartache, MOMO still cared for Jr. very much and wouldn't benefit from hearing words spoken against him in anger.

Later on that night, before going to sleep, MOMO removed the bracelet Jr. had given her so long ago. She brought it up to look at, her eyes tearing once again. "As things stand between us now, I think it's best if I put this away for the time being. It doesn't mean I've stopped caring for him, and I hope somehow he knows that." Opening the small box resting on the table by her bed, she gently placed the bracelet inside. Immediately after, she got into bed and curled up, crying like she might never stop. As though feeling her pain and wanting to put an end to it, Alby trotted in, made a running leap up onto the bed, and licked her face helpfully. She buried her face in his silky fur and fell asleep, the tears still falling.


	9. A Talk Between Good Friends

**Author's note **- This chapter belongs more to Allen and Shelley. Jr. and Shion have had quite a bit of time already, so I thought it only fair that they relinquish some to my other favorite pairing. Oh and thank you for the reviews you have all been leaving. I have been reading them, and I appreciate all of the comments. I hope the story continues to keep you interested!

Jr. turned from the now darkened UMN monitor to face Shion. Her green eyes were stormy as she glared at him. "What was that all about? You made me a promise, Jr., and you just about broke it!" Having said her piece, she turned her back on him and began to stomp away.

He grabbed her arm and she spun around, trying to throw his hand off. "Shion, just listen to me for a damn minute, will ya? Look, I'm having a hard enough time dealing with MOMO; I don't need crap from you too." Seeing her eyes flash, he reined in his temper and brought his free hand to the back of his head, sighing. "That's not what I was gonna say, so bear with me. I'm just confused and aggravated right now. Talking to MOMO when I'm sleeping with the person she thinks of as a big sister and very close friend, and that very same person is carrying **my** child, heavy emphasis on the my, isn't something I'm handling well. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, okay?"

Shion's shoulders slumped. "I never looked at it from your perspective." Almost immediately, she straightened and eyed him narrowly. "That doesn't give you the right to nearly spill an important secret to her, though. We talked about this, and you agreed that it was for the best, at least for now, that she not know."

Jr. snapped, "Yeah, I'm well-aware of the fact that I have to keep my big mouth shut. I can't tell her that you're pregnant with my child, a fact that I'm actually pretty proud of and want to shout to everyone who'll listen."

Shion's face crumpled and tears began spilling over her cheeks. "Oh Jr., I'm so sorry. I wish it could be different. I just don't want to hurt MOMO. She trusts the two of us so much, and I doubt she'll ever forgive us if she finds out the truth."

Jr.'s voice started to rise. "What the hell does that mean? That sounds like we're going to keep the truth from her forever, Shion, and I'm telling you now that you can forget that idea! If that's the way you feel, then we might as well end it right now!" He removed his hand from her arm, his blue eyes flashing angrily.

Shion covered her face with her hands. She wailed, her words slightly muffled, "No, that's not what I meant! Jr., I just don't think we should tell her now is all!" She slid to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chest.

It didn't take very long for Jr. to take up his position beside her. "I know, Shion," he said quietly as he stroked her hair. "Right now the two of us are just going a little crazy. You've got all of these pregnancy hormones, which are probably going to end up killing one or both of us, and then there are the problems we're having with the Elsa, everyone within the Elsa, and dealing with MOMO. We're all we have for the time being, so we'd better stop antagonizing one another." He tilted her chin up for her to see his grin, and she gave him a watery smile in return.

He helped her to get to her feet and then gently thumbed away the remaining tears still sliding down her cheeks. Suddenly her eyes opened wide. "Jr., did MOMO say what I think she did? Did she mean that the Foundation was okay?"

Before Jr. could answer, sounds drew their attention away from each other. It was nearly time for dinner, and everyone save Mary and Tony, who were on kitchen duty, was heading toward the lounge. Jr. made a quick decision and then brought Shion's hand to his lips to kiss the palm. "I think everyone needs to hear what MOMO said. I'm sure they'll all be happy about it." Shion was surprised that Jr. had yet to show a reaction himself, but she didn't have time to ponder on it as he tugged her toward the lounge.

Jr. entered the lounge, Shion close behind him, and looked around. It appeared as though almost everyone had been served, although Mary's posture clearly showed she had no interest in serving duty. Her blue eyes slid in their direction, but when they met Jr.'s, they dropped to the floor. Tony joined Hammer at their usual table a short time later, and with his arrival, Jr. counted everyone present. "I have something to tell everyone."

Tony chuckled as he said, "It's not a major announcement like the one before, is it? I don't think you can top that one, Little Master."

Jr. shook his head. "This one has to do with what I was talking to MOMO about. I figured it would be good news for everyone. But first, have we found a place to set the Elsa down yet?"

Matthews raised his head from his plate long enough to say, "We think so. It'll be another day or two before we get there, but the Professor and Scott said they think she should be okay until then." He grabbed his drink and downed it in one gulp. He banged the glass on the table, and a glowering Mary made her way over to him.

Jr. replied, "Good to know. We'll worry about it when we get there, I guess. As for what I have to say, MOMO discovered that the Foundation somehow survived what happened. She managed to get everyone to go back with her."

While cheers went up throughout the lounge, Shion moved in front of Jr. and saw his face contort. "Oh Jesus," he muttered, placing a hand over his eyes. He shuddered briefly, and Shion took hold of his other hand. She saw a wayward tear zigzag its way down his cheek and knew she needed to get him out of the lounge. She had a feeling that his reaction had finally arrived.

Jr. sat down heavily on the bed, and Shion sat beside him. He'd managed to compose himself for the time it took to get to the men's cabin, but he took one look at Shion's sympathetic face and his hard work was lost. Shion put her arms around him and didn't say anything, instead just allowing him to cry for as long as he needed. After a while, Jr. took a deep, shaky breath and leaned his head back. "That was a bit embarrassing," he groaned.

Shion placed her head on his shoulder and he moved his to rest upon hers. "I was starting to think it didn't mean anything to you," she said softly. "You didn't seem to have any type of reaction, and that was worrying me. It wasn't like you at all."

Jr. was silent for a moment. Finally he answered, "So much has been happening as of late, I've been a little slow to process stuff. When MOMO said the Foundation had survived, it didn't penetrate at first. I was hearing it, but it didn't mean anything at that point. But when I stood there telling everyone and they all started cheering about it, it finally hit me. Thanks for maneuvering me out of the lounge, by the way."

Shion raised an eyebrow at that. "You would never have forgiven me if I'd allowed you to stand there and cry in front of everyone. Honestly, I'm surprised you'll cry in front of me. You always play the tough guy," she said teasingly.

Jr. lifted his head and swiftly captured her mouth with his. She leaned into the kiss with a sigh and Jr. roughly tugged her closer. A few minutes passed before Jr. spoke again. "Anyway, I was thinking about how if only I'd gone to check myself before we left, I wouldn't have needed confirmation from MOMO. I would have known already and I'd have felt a damn sight better than I did when we started this journey."

Shion's eyes lowered and she bit her lip. "That was my fault. If I hadn't been in such a rush to go, you would have been able to check on it yourself. I just wanted to keep my word to chaos, and I didn't think about how anyone else would feel."

Jr. cupped her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. "Hey, stop that. I wasn't looking to assign blame, sweetheart."

Shion looked at him strangely. With a bit of a laugh in her voice, she asked dubiously, "What did you call me?"

Jr. could feel himself turning an unattractive shade of red, and he dropped his hand. Looking away, he said in reply, "It was nothing. Think of it as a slip of the tongue. I won't do it again."

Shion moved so that she sat astride him, taking his face in her hands to make him look at her. "That's not what I meant. It's just you've always called me by my name, so it caught me by surprise. It certainly doesn't mean that I don't like it."

Jr. shot her a grin, draping his arms loosely around her waist. "You know, in a few more months, you might not be able to assume this position. Let's enjoy it while we can…sweetheart." Shion laughed but was quickly silenced by the pressure of his mouth. Her arms slid around his neck, and they kept themselves well-occupied for quite some time.

In the lounge, Allen watched Shelley make her exit. She had him a little worried, and they were long overdue for the talk he'd promised her before. So he followed her as stealthily as he could, which obviously wasn't stealthy at all, since at the door to the women's cabin, she turned around with a small smile. "Allen, I do not think that you should ever attempt to make spying your occupation."

Allen gave her an embarrassed smile in return, rubbing the back of his head like he always did when put on the spot. "Well, at least you were kind about how bad I am. Sorry about that. I was just wondering if we could talk?"

Shelley gestured him ahead of her into the room. "Yes, I am not involved with anything at present, so we have time. Please come in." She sat down at the table and, after a moment of awkwardness, Allen did so as well.

"I know I owe you that talk from the time we found out about…" Allen trailed off, chewing on his bottom lip. He didn't want to discuss that quite yet, so he steered the conversation in another direction. "Is it okay if I ask you something first, though?" Shelley nodded briefly, looking slightly wary. "When Jr. told us all about the Foundation, I noticed everyone was cheering, including me, the Professor, and Scott. Then I happened to glance at you and you hadn't even changed expression, Shelley. Aren't you happy?"

Shelley sighed. "Of course I am happy, Allen. It was very kind of Little Master to let us know, even if there are unpleasant undercurrents running throughout the ship at this time."

Allen's jaw dropped. He maintained the expression for a time, and then he seemed to realize what he must look like and closed his mouth with a snap. "Shelley, I have to say that I would never be able to tell you're happy. You're sitting there, looking just like you always do. It's a little disconcerting."

Shelley gave him a tiny smile and reached across the table to put her hand over his. "I am honestly very happy that the Foundation survived. I am simply a very calm person. Some might say I am **too** calm at times. In fact, Master Gaignun would always say to me that I was calmer and more collected than he was." A ghost of pain glimmered upon her face and then was gone so quickly, Allen might have thought he'd imagined it if he hadn't gotten to know Shelley the way he had.

To lighten the moment somewhat, Allen chuckled and said, "Is that even possible? He was the complete opposite of Jr. when it came to being emotional. Jr. tends to get overemotional, and Gaignun always seemed to take everything in stride. So if you're even calmer, you would have to be comatose."

Shelley's laugh was low and didn't last long, but Allen was proud of the fact that he'd been the one to bring humor to her. "I can assure you I am not comatose. I am just a very logical person who is not driven by emotion." Again the flash of pain came and went, and Allen decided that to distract her, he would talk about something that was still paining him.

Drawing a deep breath to steady his nerves, he said very quietly, "I'm sorry if it seems like I've been avoiding you. It's never been you. I just needed some time by myself to think."

Shelley squeezed his hand slightly. "Allen, please do not think you need to apologize to me. You said you needed to sort through things and then you would come to me to talk. I took that at face-value and allowed you solitude. Chasing after you and trying to force you into speaking to me would not have benefited either one of us." Her purple eyes were steadily fixed on his face.

Allen nodded silently and gratefully. He took a few minutes to gather his thoughts before continuing. "When Jr. and Shion came into the lounge to announce that, I admit that my heart broke a little. Scratch that. It shattered into a million pieces and I felt like it would never be whole again." He lowered his head, and Shelley was again unsure, just as she had been that day in the kitchen, of what she should do. Silence seemed to be the best option, because she didn't want him to think she was rushing him.

Lifting his head, his blue eyes were slightly unfocused as he met Shelley's gaze. "In all of my fantasies and daydreams involving Shion, if I allowed myself to think that far ahead, we were married and we had children. A beautiful little boy and girl, and they looked like her. Being with her was everything I expected it to be, difficult but rewarding at the same time. And then it all ended. The fantasies and daydreams would never have a chance to come true. I told you the one time we talked about how I'd accepted the fact that she was with Jr., accepted it as best as I could. When he stood there and announced to us that she was carrying his child, I wanted to run from the room, run from the reality of it all. I couldn't bear hearing that he was having with her what I had wanted for so long – a family." He stopped and kneaded his temples with his fingers.

"I've been avoiding thinking about this since we found out. I know I told you that I needed time to sort through it, but I couldn't find it in me to do so. I just threw myself into working with the Professor and Scott, and by the end of the day, I was so exhausted, I was able to crash dreamlessly." He sighed, and the forlorn expression on his face made Shelley's heart ache for him. "I've even gone out of my way to make sure I don't see them. By staying on the lower level, I knew I wouldn't see Jr. and Shion so rarely goes to KOS-MOS' old maintenance room anymore that I knew the chances of running into her were low."

Shelley said softly, "Allen, why are you talking about it now then? I can understand why you wished to avoid all thoughts of what has been happening, but I am at a loss as to why you have brought it up with me."

The corner of Allen's mouth quirked up in what might have been the beginning of a smile. "Because I find you so easy to talk to, Shelley. Also it's because avoiding it isn't going to do me any good in the long run. I need to do just as I said I would and sort through all of these crazy feelings I have."

Shelley shook her head at him. "The feelings you have cannot be termed 'crazy,' Allen. You have every right to feel the way you do about the situation, when we take into consideration how very long you have cared for Shion. I do have something I wish to say to you, however." Allen seemed a bit confused, but he gestured for her to continue. "Do you not think it is time to consider your own happiness? You have worried about Shion's for so long, that I think you have forgotten about your own."

Allen seemed to be lost in thought for a while after she had spoken. Finally he met her eyes. "When I look at Shion now, I know she's happy. When Jr. is in the vicinity, she glows, I guess the term would be. It's all I ever wanted for her, and since she's finally found it, maybe you're right." He stood up to leave. "Once again, thank you for listening to me, Shelley. You're a far better friend than I deserve."

Shelley came to a decision then. She looked up at him and said firmly, "Please sit back down, Allen. I have something I would like to speak with you about." After he had done so, she narrowed her eyes at him. "Before I do so, I would like you to know that I do not want to hear you speak like that again. You are far too good a person to put yourself down the way you do, Allen."

Allen looked taken aback at first to hear Shelley speak so forcefully, but then he settled back in his chair, a bit of a blush staining his cheeks. "Thanks, Shelley. I'll try not to anymore, but it might be a hard habit to break," he joked.

Shelley smiled but pointed a finger at him. "I am very serious. If I overhear you speaking of yourself like that again, you will not find the results pleasant." She lapsed into silence for a few minutes, and Allen started to think she had forgotten his presence. As he was about to speak up, she opened her eyes and gazed at him directly. "You may think this cold of me, but the fact that you were so open about the hurt you are feeling has convinced me that you are someone who will understand what I have been experiencing."

Allen was the one to reach across the table to take her hand this time. "Are you about to tell me what's been going on with you all this time? You know I'm here to listen. And I don't think it's cold at all. Sharing hurt is an unfortunate part of life, isn't it?" He raised an eyebrow at her, and she smiled softly back.

"I suppose it is. Yes, I wish to tell you what has been happening to me. I need to speak of it with someone. I am starting to feel overwhelmed by it all, and I fear I will not be able to shoulder the burden by myself for much longer." She paused, not sure of where she should begin.

"You are aware of my near inability to sleep? I know Mary has not kept it a secret, and also Shion has been witness to it as well." Allen nodded but kept silent, not wishing to interrupt her and cause her to retreat from him. "I am plagued by nightmares when I sleep. They take all forms, but they all involve the same person, Master Gaignun." Her eyes became suspiciously wet, but she turned her head from Allen for a few seconds, and when she faced him again, they were dry. "They nearly always end with the loss of him. I stand before him and watch as he disappears before my eyes, and I cannot do a single thing to help him." She lowered her head, hiding her face from him.

Allen gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm sure you miss him very much, Shelley. Not only were you his employee, you were very close to him as well. It's only natural for you to wish there had been a way to save him."

Shelley picked her head up, and the agony in them made Allen's heart clench. "I loved him, Allen. He alone understood me. When our journey began, I felt my place was here, even if that meant being near…" Her words trailed away, and she bit her lip. "Maybe it is best if I do not discuss that yet."

Allen didn't think it was best, not at all, because he felt Shelley had been living with this over her head for far too long. He was afraid to push her about it, though. It would be too easy to drive her away, and he didn't want that. If she were to reject his friendship, then she truly would be all alone aboard the ship. He said carefully, "I think it's your choice, but don't you think it might help if you relieve yourself of the whole burden? Talking about all of it might start you on the road to healing, Shelley."

Shelley shook her head hard. Allen had never seen her display such emotion, and it was more than a little strange for him. She said, her usually carefully modulated voice rising, "I am afraid to discuss it, Allen. It is something I feel ashamed of, but I cannot change it. I have attempted to view things differently, but I have yet been unsuccessful."

Allen grabbed her hand tightly, and she looked at him, her eyes starting to gleam with unshed tears. She didn't try to turn her head away as before. He took that as a good sign. "Shelley, maybe if you talk to me about it, I can see what you're seeing from another viewpoint. It's worth a try. You've been holding on to this for far too long, and it's consuming you!"

Maybe it was the shock of hearing normally placid and laid-back Allen speak so forcefully, or maybe it was just that Shelley knew she couldn't keep hiding her feelings, but something caused a break in her. Tears began spilling over her cheeks, and she choked out, "I do not wish to be near Little Master. I am aware of how this will sound to you, but a small part of me blames him for what happened to Master Gaignun. I have tried to abandon this feeling, but each time I look at him and see how his face is changing and becoming more and more like Master Gaignun's, it grows stronger. I do not hate Little Master, but nor do I feel comfortable in his presence. I only feel resentful that he is here, and Master Gaignun is not." With that, she lowered her head to her arms, her shoulders shaking.

Allen got to his feet and came around the table to stand behind her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, praying he was doing the right thing. He knew how intensely private a person Shelley was, and it was possible that she wouldn't want what she felt was his pity. "Shelley," he told her quietly, "I think Jr. did all that he could to save Gaignun. Shion talked about this with me once, and she had said that Gaignun wouldn't allow Jr. to save him. He wanted Jr. and Albedo to be reunited, and he accomplished that. From what she said, Gaignun wanted to rest. This is only from Shion's point of view of course, but it does seem to fit."

Shelley was already bringing herself under a strict control, and that worried Allen. That made him afraid that she'd taken his action as one of pity, as he'd feared she would. Her next words dispelled that fear. "Allen, I know in my heart that you are right. I am simply unsure of what I can do to force this feeling to leave me."

Allen thought for a minute or so. The solution he landed upon was one that he didn't know how Shelley would react to. Breathing deeply, he plunged ahead. "Shelley, I think the best thing you can do is talk to Jr. He holds the key to allowing you to deal with this and move on."

Shelley seemed to consider his words for a time, but in the end, she refused. "I do not think that is a wise course of action, Allen. How would I speak to him when I cannot bear to even look at him?"

Allen knew it was best for all involved to not push Shelley. Although he wished for her to begin the healing process, now that he knew what was troubling her, forcing her into it would have negative effects on everyone. Instead he nodded and said, "It has to be between you and Jr. I can't make you do something you're not ready for. Would you like me to go for now?"

Shelley sighed and gave a slight nod. "Please do not think me rude, Allen, but I would appreciate time alone." As he headed toward the door, she called out his name. When he turned toward her, her voice was soft as she said, "Thank you for listening to what I had to say, and for not judging me for my feelings."

Allen simply said in reply, "I would never judge you, just like you've never judged me." He gave her a small smile and then left the room.

A short while before Allen was set to leave Shelley to her thoughts, just slightly down the way in the men's cabin, Jr. was gently moving a stray piece of Shion's hair out of her face. She smiled drowsily at him, her eyes beginning to close. "Hey, did I tire you out that much?" he teased her.

She said sleepily, "These days, I seem to tire pretty easily. Is it okay if I take a little bit of a nap?" She snuggled into his side and kissed his shoulder, but it was plain she wasn't going to be awake much longer.

He pressed his lips to her temple and told her softly, "Sleep as long as you like. I have some business I need to discuss with Matthews anyway." He slid out of the bed and hurriedly got dressed. Afterward he looked down at her to see she was breathing deeply and evenly. He smiled, bent to give her sleeping mouth a kiss, and then was on his way toward the bridge.

He'd almost reached the door to it when he heard, "Jr.!" He immediately stiffened, because it was a voice he knew well and didn't want to hear. He slowly turned to face the owner, one eyebrow raised.

Allen wasn't sure what had come over him. He just knew that he'd seen Jr. out of the corner of his eye as he'd left the cabin, and he'd called out without stopping to think. He honestly hadn't expected Jr. to stop, let alone actually turn to see what he wanted. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Jr. said condescendingly, "It kinda looks like you already are. What do you want?" His body language spoke clearly that he wouldn't put up with Allen for long, so Allen knew he'd better say what needed to be said and quickly.

"I just finished speaking with Shelley. I was wondering if you could possibly try talking to her. It would do her a world of good, and it might help you out too." His shoulders slumped as he took in Jr.'s expression. It didn't bode well at all, considering Jr. was eyeing him like he was obviously insane.

"I've tried talking to her before, and it goes absolutely nowhere. If you wanna know the truth, it's kinda like this conversation." Jr. turned abruptly and stepped through the door to the bridge, spine still rigid.

Allen sighed heavily after the door had slid shut. "That went well. How in the world am I going to get those two to talk so that Shelley can move on, like she's telling me to do?" Shaking his head, he headed off toward the elevator, planning on losing himself in the distracting conversation the Professor and Scott could come up with.


	10. Sleeping Arrangements

**Author's note - **I am SO sorry for the delay since my last update. I have been hard at work writing, but so many ideas flooded my head that I just had to keep going. The bonus is that I got 4 chapters worth out of it. So here they are, in all their glory. Happy reading and reviews are much appreciated, as always!

Jr. awoke to the heavy snoring of Captain Matthews, the deep, even breathing of Tony, and the snuffling noises of Hammer. He sighed, wondering what exactly had disturbed his sleep. He pinpointed it quickly, a feeling of acute aggravation. He knew what it stemmed from, but at the moment there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Sitting up in his bed, he brought his arms up and interlaced his fingers behind his head. He thought about just getting out of bed entirely, but he knew that Shelley wandered the ship when everyone was sleeping and he certainly did not have any desire to meet up with her. He tried to relax, and that was when Albedo, who had been silent since convincing him to talk things over with Shion, decided he was in a talkative mood.

_Trouble sleeping, dear brother? You can't blame it on me this time as you're usually wont to do. What disturbs your restless mind at present?_ Albedo was as sarcastic as ever, and Jr. rolled his eyes, although the action was lost on his twin. "I don't want to talk about it, Albedo. It's not something you'd even care to hear about anyway, so why start the conversation?" He thought that would be the end of it, but Albedo surprised him by saying, _You underestimate me, Rubedo. I am of course always interested to hear about anything you deem important enough to tell me. I am wide-awake as well, so don't you think we should the pass the time by keeping one another company?_

Jr. shrugged, keeping an eye on his roommates to be sure they didn't awaken to see what would look like Little Master talking to himself. The only one who was aware of Albedo's presence was Shion, and he wanted to keep it that way. He wasn't really sure why, but he didn't feel like questioning his own feelings on the matter. "Well then, how about we talk about you? What caused your disappearance this time?" Albedo emitted a very haughty sniff. _I was of the assumption that you and your princess would prefer to be alone. I have no great interest in the idea of you becoming a father, Rubedo._ Jr. sensed the underlying current in his brother's words. "You're lying, and what's worse, you're aware you're lying. And you want me to know you're lying. What the hell is with all the hostility you're directing at me, Albedo?"

Albedo was silent, but Jr. knew he was simply gathering steam for one of the long-winded rants he was so fond of. _I'm amazed you can even sense my feelings, Rubedo. You've become so blinded in your infatuation with her, that you noticed my disappearance and didn't even attempt to search me out. I must say that I am rather disappointed that I mean so little to you. It seems that this is how it is going to be for the remainder of your life, which has, unfortunately at this point, become mine. You ignore me in favor of the princess, and when the brat comes along, I will be nothing to you. Although the more I dwell upon it, the more I realize that I already am nothing to you. It might have been better if Nigredo had taken up residence within you. He was always the silent type, and I'm quite sure he would not have minded having alone time. I, however, am not pleased with this turn of events. I do not wish to be relegated to a position where I should only be there when you desire it, and not when I do._

Jr. rested his head on his knees, taking a bit of a breath before answering. It didn't help the anger that was rising within him. "Jesus, Albedo. God forbid I should be freakin' happy, right? You may not have given a damn about the whole sterility thing, but I hated it. Is it so wrong of me to be goddamn happy that I'm actually getting a chance I never thought I would? Let me try to address every issue you've been whining about, and I'm sure if I miss any of them, you'll be right on it. First off, I didn't search you out because I thought you might want some space. You have nowhere to go, being in my head all of the time, so I was being generous. I can't win with you. Second of all, when the hell did I say you mean nothing to me?! You're still my other half, even if we share the same body now. Gaignun put us back together for a reason, because we should be. Third, don't **ever** refer to my child as 'the brat' again. I can't tell you how to feel, but do me a damn favor and keep those kinds of comments to your goddamn self."

Albedo made a huffing noise. _I should have stayed in my dreamworld, where everything is exactly how I wish it to be. I am done with this conversation, Rubedo, and I shall now take my leave. I would wish you pleasant dreams, but beyond the fact that I doubt you will sleep again tonight, I would be lying yet again if I were to say such a thing to you._ His presence was gone in an instant, and Jr. brought his hands to his face in exasperation and irritation. "Well, I have to give him credit for at least making me forget for a while the real reason I woke up. I'm going to have a chat with him again, but I don't have the patience for it now. And if he seriously thinks I'm going to allow him to continue the name-calling when it comes to Shion and the baby, he'd better rethink that." He settled back, knowing he wouldn't sleep but not yet ready to leave his bed. He managed to close his eyes for a time, now adding Albedo to the nagging feeling of irritation he'd had before. He would address the original issue very soon.

Shion woke up in her bed, feeling slightly nauseous. She curled up and placed her hands on her stomach, praying it would pass. It took some time, but it finally did. Getting to her feet, she hurried to take a shower and get dressed. She had something she wished to do today, and she wanted to do it without Jr. being there. It wasn't that she was resenting the time they spent together, quite the opposite, but what she wanted to do was something private and special to her. She poked her head out the door and saw no one in the vicinity. She rushed to the elevator and headed to the lower floor.

She didn't pass the Professor, Scott, or Allen along the way, which lead her to recall that it was breakfast time aboard the Elsa. The mere thought of breakfast caused a recurrence of the nauseous feeling, and she had to stop for a minute or two to bring it under control again. Hurrying along, she came to KOS-MOS' old maintenance room and stepped inside. She stood for a length of time, feeling a little unsure now that she had arrived. It had been quite a while since she'd had a conversation with KOS-MOS, but she felt that it was necessary. Heading over to the sofa, she sat down and was quiet for a bit. Finally she said softly, "I've thought and thought about it, KOS-MOS, and I came to the conclusion that you would want to know. Just give me a little time to gather my thoughts, okay?"

It didn't take her long after that to begin talking as though KOS-MOS were standing in front of her. "So you know it must be a special occasion for me to be here, talking to you. If I know you as well as I know I do, you're still wondering how Jr. and I ever managed to not only have a relationship, but to maintain it as well. I can't honestly tell you myself, but we're doing just fine. The same can't be said for my relationship with everyone else on the Elsa. I've learned to accept it for now, though, and I just keep it from Jr. because I know he'll be so angry about it and cause a scene that I don't want right now. I don't want things getting worse than they already are. Okay, I'm rambling, and I'm sorry for it. How about I get to the point of why I'm here? I know how impatient you can be." She laughed quietly.

"All right, here's the real reason I wanted to come and talk to you. Guess what? Jr. and I are going to be parents. There are times it seems so unreal to me. There's this little life growing inside me, depending on me to keep it safe. It's funny because I always thought I'd have children eventually, but I would never have believed Jr. would be the father. And now, I can't imagine my life without him." She brought her hands to her stomach, laying them on it gently. "I have a part of him within me, KOS-MOS, and it means so much to me to be the one to give him something he thought he would never have. The only thing that scares me is if I'll be a good mother. What if I'm not?" She was quiet for a while, as though listening. "Okay, KOS-MOS, I'll try to stop worrying. Maybe as long as I love this baby, that will be enough." She got to her feet and smiled. "As always, thanks for listening to me. It's nice to have a non-judgmental ear. Sleep well, KOS-MOS."

As she was exiting the room, she saw the door into the area slide closed behind Jr. She smiled as she headed over to him. "What brings you down here? I was just on my way back up."

Jr. gave her a tense smile in return. "I noticed you weren't around during breakfast, and after checking the cabin and seeing you weren't there, I knew where you'd be."

His mention of breakfast sent Shion's stomach into a tailspin yet again. She doubled over, closing her eyes against the waves of nausea beating at her. He put a hand on her back in concern, but she waved him away. Breathing heavily, she straightened up and shot him a rueful smile. "My stomach has been acting a little crazy the past few days. So I'd appreciate it if you could refrain from mentioning the b-word to me."

He brushed a lock of hair out of her face that had fallen out of her barrette. "Sorry about that. Were you telling KOS-MOS the news?"

She nodded. "I just thought it was something I should tell her while being in her room. And since I wasn't feeling up to…eating, I figured I'd sneak downstairs while everyone else was." She took notice of the fact that he seemed a little edgy. "Jr., what's wrong? You're not acting like your usual self."

He began to pace, a sure sign that something was bothering him. Rather than stopping him like she nearly always did, Shion waited for him to come to a halt and face her. When he did, he had an expression that she couldn't quite read. "Shion, we need to talk about a little matter that's been on my mind for a while now. I just haven't brought it up because there's been so much going on."

She was confused and said so. "Jr., if it's been bothering you like that, why would you wait until now to bring it up? And just what has been bothering you? You're making me nervous with the way your face looks right now. Is it something I'm not going to like or what?"

His eyes slid to the side. "I want to ask you a question. Are you ashamed of our relationship?"

She did a double-take. "What? Jr., if I was ashamed of it, I somehow doubt I'd be kissing you in front of everyone. This is coming totally out of the blue, you know!"

He said in a quiet voice, "Then why won't you sleep with me?"

Shion shook her head, bewildered. "Jr., just how do you think I came by my current condition? If I hadn't slept with you, I wouldn't be carrying your child."

Jr. held up a hand, and she came to a stumbling halt. "That's not the way I meant it, Shion. I'm talking about when everyone heads to their respective cabins to crash for the night. You give me a sweet, little kiss and sashay your way into the women's cabin, leaving me to head off to the men's."

She put her hands on her hips, blood rushing to her cheeks. "For your information, I do **not **sashay! I think I walk quite normally!"

He brought a hand to his forehead, sighing. "That's not the issue at hand, and you know it. Personally I like watching you sashay, but we'll get to that later." Despite his seriousness, he couldn't keep from smirking at her after that comment. She huffed and folded her arms across her chest. "Very rarely do we spend the night together. If I can convince the guys to let me have the cabin, then we get to, but it's not like I can expect them to sleep in the lounge on a daily basis. I'm tired of waking up with empty arms, Shion."

She stamped her foot slightly. "And just what do you propose we do about it?"

Mirroring her, he also folded his arms across his chest and said pointedly, "I propose you decide which bed we sleep in. I'm not accepting no for an answer, Shion. We will not be leaving this area until better sleeping arrangements have been decided upon."

She began tapping her foot in irritation. "Why are you doing this? You don't even sleep that much, Jr. So I'm afraid I'm not understanding why this is bothering you so suddenly."

Jr. went over to the railing that overlooked the hangar that had housed the E.S.s and placed his hands upon it. A bit unwillingly, Shion followed but kept a distance from him. "I told you, it's not sudden. I just haven't really had time to bring it up. And I'm well-aware of how little I sleep. That has nothing to do with what we're talking about."

Shion snapped, "It has everything to do with it! You're saying you want me to sleep with you, but you don't even sleep! You're lucky if you sleep a few hours a night. So why is this such a big deal to you, Jr.?"

Jr. turned to her, his cerulean blue eyes narrowed. "Maybe it's a big deal because I'd prefer to have my lover in **my** bed rather than in her own. When I wake up, I want to see you beside me. I want to be able to hold you as you sleep, Shion, and just watch you until you open those gorgeous green eyes of yours. So, you need to make a decision. Which bed becomes our permanent one?"

"It can't be the one in the men's cabin!" she wailed, scandalized. "What if you wake up in an amorous mood, which isn't unheard of? Captain Matthews is already uncomfortable enough around us for some unknown reason! Imagine how he'll feel if he wakes up to us doing…that!"

He placed a finger at the hollow of her throat and trailed it slowly down to the heart-shaped opening in her shirt. Her breath caught, and he said, his voice a little unsteady, "I can't help that I want you as much as I do, Shion. By order of elimination then, that leaves the women's cabin. I'm fine with that." As he angled his head to kiss her, she pushed him away. He stumbled slightly but righted himself almost instantly. "What the hell was that for?!"

Shion's green eyes were stormy as she glared at him. "I did not agree to anything, Jr. Mary and Shelley reside in the same cabin as I do, and it won't be fair to them to force them to accept your constant presence in there."

Jr. counted to three before he spoke, and he was very proud of how patient he sounded. "Shion, my presence is nearly constant in there as it is. Shelley rarely stays there, because she has worse sleeping habits than I do apparently. Mary doesn't have much say in the matter."

Shion seized upon the opportunity to change the topic. "You know Shelley can't sleep because of whatever nightmares she keeps having. Why don't you try talking to her to see if you can help?"

He growled, "I did try talking to her, and she cut me dead. I am not about to open myself up to that possibility again. Jesus, have you been talking to Allen or what?" Too late he remembered he hadn't told her about Allen asking him to speak to Shelley, and he cursed himself silently.

Her eyebrows came together in confusion. "No, I haven't spoken to him in I have no idea how long. What are you talking about?"

He sighed and returned to the railing. "He wanted me to talk to Shelley too. I told him pretty much the same thing I just told you, except in a much less friendly tone. No," he reiterated when she started to speak, "that issue is closed. We have another issue, however, which is still open. Let's concentrate on that."

She was silent for long enough that he ended up turning to her to see tears sliding down her cheeks. He wasn't proof against those, not when it came to her. He crossed the small distance between them and enfolded her in his embrace. She choked out, "Jr., I'm just worried about people…seeing us. That's supposed to be a private thing, and I would be so embarrassed if someone witnessed it!"

He pressed his mouth against hers gently, tasting the saltiness of her tears when he did so. "Listen to me, sweetheart. Shelley won't be in there. In fact, I won't be at all surprised if she leaves entirely. I have no say over that, and she's free to do as she pleases. Mary sleeps like the dead. We could hold a dinner party with 500 guests, and she would sleep right through it."

She giggled softly as she teased, "And you would know about her sleeping patterns, wouldn't you?"

He flushed, but he answered honestly. "I do, and that's why I can say it with absolute certainty. Does that mean you've decided we'll be using your bed then?"

She turned away from him and tilted her head haughtily. "I don't think it was ever my decision to begin with." She felt his arms slide around her waist from behind, and his mouth found the curve where her neck and shoulder met. "Hey, that's cheating," she sighed, pressing back against him.

Jr. groaned regretfully. "As much as I would love to continue this, I have to go and talk to Matthews. We'll be arriving at the place where we can set down the Elsa tomorrow, and we need to be prepared." His hand caressed her bared stomach briefly before continuing on a southerly descent. She gave a small gasp. "That doesn't mean I can't tease you a little bit first," he whispered in her ear before his mouth returned to her neck.

In the lounge, Shelley was picking at her food listlessly. She looked up to see Allen leaving with the Professor and Scott, and he threw a small smile in her direction. She wanted to smile back at him, but she didn't have the energy. In the early morning hours, she'd made her way back to the women's cabin, so tired that she could barely walk. She'd collapsed on the bed and immediately slipped into a dreamless sleep. It hadn't stayed that way. She'd been able to get a few hours of uninterrupted rest, but her most recent nightmare had shaken her. She was beginning to sense there was something at the edge of her consciousness that she couldn't quite grasp due to the direction her nightmares had begun to take.

Her latest dream had been much like one she'd had a few months ago. Gaignun had become Yuriev, and he was insistent upon having her come with him. What frightened her the most was that in both dreams, she'd been on the verge of taking his hand and abandoning everything she knew, including Mary. While she wasn't speaking to Mary at present, their sisterly bond remained special to her, and she didn't understand how she could make that decision so easily in her dreams. Deciding she didn't want to examine it too closely, she got to her feet and headed out of the lounge. She wanted to talk to Allen, and since he'd been with the Professor and Scott, she knew precisely where he'd be.

The elevator sounded just as she came to a halt in front of it. She stiffened when the doors opened and a smug-looking Jr. stepped off of it. His eyes met hers briefly, but then he turned his head away and walked off in the direction of the bridge. She set her shoulders and entered the elevator. On the lower level, she ran into a rather dazed-looking Shion, who said hazily, "Hi, Shelley. Wonderful weather we're having, don't you think?" A bemused Shelley watched her walk dreamily onto the elevator and shook her head, well-aware of what had Shion in her current state.

She arrived at the room the Professor and Scott used as both a working room and sleeping quarters and found the men with their heads bent together, hard at work and arguing as well. The Professor leaned back and pinned Allen and Scott with an accusing glare. "You think I can't get this done, Assistant Scott and Assistant #2? It may be no Erde Kaiser, but I'm more than capable of finishing a tiny thing like this! I should throw both of you off the project entirely!" he stormed.

Allen brought a hand to his head, shaking it as he did so. "Professor, we didn't say it couldn't be finished. All we said was that we were going to be cutting it close."

Scott, who had perfected the art of ignoring the Professor's tantrums, leaned toward Allen and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was caused Allen to give Scott a glare of his own. He said in an irritated tone, "Yes, I saw them, Scott. Could we concentrate on getting this done before tomorrow?"

Shelley stepped into the room. The Professor saw her and let out an angry squawk. "No ladies allowed in here while we're working! This is men's work, it is! Now shoo!"

Allen heaved a sigh and maneuvered Shelley back into the hallway. "Sorry about him. I'm used to him after all of this time, but that doesn't excuse him being rude." Giving her a rueful grin, he asked, "So just what brings you down here?"

Shelley lifted an eyebrow. "You should not apologize for others, Allen. You have no control over how he acts. As for what brings me here, I wish to see if I can be of assistance to your group. I do not feel as though I am helping overmuch on the bridge. You always seem to remain busy while you are with them, and that would be beneficial to me."

Allen made a face. "Shelley, do you really want to work with those two? It took me a while to get used to them, and even now I would like to strangle the Professor sometimes. He's a difficult man to be around, and he's not keen on women helping."

Shelley shrugged a shoulder gracefully. "I have worked with Little Master, and I doubt a more difficult person could be found." Allen choked at that but remained silent. "Must I request the Professor's permission first?"

Allen waved a hand. "Nah. He'll get over it, and the more help we have, the better chance we have of finishing this by tomorrow."

As he turned from her, Shelley said quietly, "I do not wish to intrude, but I sensed that what Scott said to you seemed to bother you. Would it be rude of me to ask about it?"

Allen stiffened slightly, but he turned to face her again. "He asked me if I saw Jr. and Shion walk past the room. He also said it was a good thing we weren't in the area they came from. After our talk, I've been doing good about thinking of myself, but I'll be damned if I want to talk about their overactive sex life."

Shelley laid a hand on his arm. "Allen, may I ask you a question that will seem very personal? If you do not wish me to, I will understand." Allen seemed to be wrestling with it, and Shelley was about to retract what she'd said when he nodded silently. "Was there another reason you reacted the way you did to Little Master's announcement that day?"

Allen seemed a bit disconcerted by the question, and Shelley began to worry that her intuition had been very off. Finally he sighed heavily and brought a hand to the back of his head. "How do you do that, Shelley?" She gazed at him, confused, and he elaborated, "See through me the way you do. Yeah, there was another reason. Ordinarily, I'd be too embarrassed to say what it is, but I trust you and feel comfortable with you. Up until that moment, I had been able to fool myself that she hadn't slept with him. When he said that, reality bit me in the butt, and I can't say I appreciated it much."

Shelley was still confused. While she'd had the thought that there had been more behind Allen's reaction than just what he'd told her, she wasn't understanding quite why he'd tried avoiding a reality that had been forced in everyone's faces whenever Little Master was near Shion. "Allen, please forgive my ignorance, but I am still at a loss as to why you would try to pretend they were not when it was very clear that they were."

Allen took hold of her arm and, after using his other hand to wave to the fuming Professor, walked with her down the hallway and through the door toward the gunroom. "I didn't want either of them to overhear. Yeah, I know it was an obvious thing, but I wanted to pretend because he knew Shion in a way I didn't." He put a hand to his forehead, covering his eyes in the process.

Shelley made the connection almost instantly. "Oh, Allen, do you mean that you and Shion never…" She trailed off, because now she wished she hadn't brought him into this conversation. She hadn't wanted to bring him pain again, and yet she had anyway. "I am so very sorry, Allen. If I could erase this entire exchange, I would do so in an instant. Perhaps I should leave now."

Allen's hand tightened on her arm. He said vehemently, "Don't go! You had no idea what you were walking into with that comment, so don't blame yourself. Besides, now that I've told you, I think I feel somewhat better. I'm not carrying it around anymore, anyway."

Shelley eyed him a bit suspiciously. "You are positive you are not simply saying that to make me feel less guilty? That would be something you would do, Allen, and I do not wish for you to do that with me."

Allen shook his head hard. "I'm serious, Shelley. Since I know you'll be afraid to ask now, I'll tell you why things never progressed that far. In the beginning of our relationship, I wanted to be sure she was over Kevin, you know? I didn't want to be the rebound guy, not with how I felt about her. Of course by the time I knew I wasn't, things had started to deteriorate between us, and that was the last thing on my mind. Wow, I think I needed to get that off my chest. I have to stop hanging on to this stuff. Moving on, really moving on, requires letting the past be the past, right?"

Shelley nodded with a small smile. "That is correct, Allen." She thought a moment before continuing. "I believe that you need to allow Little Master to worry about Shion from this point on. Although I may not be speaking to him, I can assure you that he will take very good care of her. I pray you do not become angry with me for saying this, but from my vantage point of being in the background, I can say they have an all-consuming love."

Allen moved away from her. "In my experience, it's that kind of love that burns out, sooner rather than later."

Shelley's purple eyes darkened. For some unknown reason, Allen saying that went through her like a knife. It sounded as though he were wishing for Little Master and Shion's relationship to dissolve, and it bothered her in some strange way she couldn't quite identify. She didn't say anything, which caused Allen to turn to face her. He saw something in her eyes that he couldn't determine, and it made him rush to clarify his statement.

"No, no, no! That doesn't mean I want to see their relationship end or anything, Shelley! It's just when people live in a world where all that exists for them is one another, they end up growing tired of that and move on. That's what I meant." He sounded slightly frantic, but he had an urgent need to make her realize where he'd been coming from.

Shelley's eyes cleared, and she shook her head gently. "That is if those two people create that world themselves out of selfish need for one another. Shion was forced into her world by everyone's actions toward her, and to protect her, Little Master chose to exist in that world as well. They now have a child on the way, and their love will grow to include that child. I do not think their relationship will 'burn out,' as you said. Little Master's one problem has always lay in that he has never paid attention to the words 'Take things slowly.' However, Shion is as emotional, headstrong, and passionate as he is, so she understands him. That is why I see their relationship standing strong."

Allen gazed at her in frank admiration, and her face began to turn a rosy red, a direct contrast to her purple hair. "Shelley, you amaze me with your insight. How can you know so much about Jr. and his way of thinking and all, and yet avoid talking to him? I think the two of you would have things worked out fast if you just **talked** to one another."

Shelley held up a hand, and Allen knew he'd better stop where he was for the time being. "I know Little Master as well as I do because of the length of time I worked beside him. That does not mean I can speak to him. I know you are simply trying to help, Allen, but I would rather we not pursue that line of conversation."

He nodded and put out his hand for her to take. "Now that I've once again weighed you down with my feelings, how about we get back to the Professor and Scott? It's not going to be pretty, though," he warned.

She hesitated for a few seconds, and he was thinking of lowering his hand when she placed hers in it. "I am not frightened, Allen. Please lead the way." Her eyes sparkled at him, and he gave her a brief grin before they hurried back to a raging Professor and a cowering Scott.

"Professor, relax. I'm back, and I've brought another assistant for you," Allen said, stepping aside and indicating Shelley.

The Professor eyed Shelley beadily. "Women don't know the first thing about complexities such as what we're working on. She should just make her way right back up to the bridge, where she'll be less in the way."

Shelley walked over to him, took the small contraption he was holding in his hand, and examined it thoroughly. "It would appear you are nearly finished with this communicator. It seems to be constructed solidly, but will it work?"

The Professor snapped, "It had better work, or else The Arrogant One will be down to say his piece. He only ever comes down here to complain." He started bouncing up and down, a strange dance he did when he was excited or annoyed.

Shelley struggled to keep a straight face. "Are you referring to Little Master?" Even she had to admit the description fit him quite well at times.

The Professor made an undignified noise. "I like my title for him much better, thank you. Could we finish this up? So many ideas, yet so little time. One never knows when he will keel over and kick up his heels, after all." He laughed loudly, and after glancing at one another in amusement, Allen and Shelley began working busily.


	11. Some Aren't So Happy

On the upper level, Shion was wandering about in somewhat of a daze still. As she headed toward the lounge, she heard something that caused her to clutch at her chest in surprise. "SSSHHHIIIOOONNN!!!" She spun around to see the UMN monitor shining brightly with Miyuki's image. Groaning to herself, she nevertheless made her way over to the screen.

Miyuki glanced at her face, and her eyes lit up with mischief. "Why do you look so dazed and confused? I bet I know! Where's that adorable redhead who likes just joking around with you? I can already tell the kind of jokes he's been playing recently."

Shion's eyes lost their dreaminess, and she said angrily, "Would you keep your voice down, Miyuki? What if MOMO is within hearing distance?"

Miyuki had the grace to look ashamed. "Sorry, Shion. You know, speaking of MOMO, have I told you how hard it's been keeping the secret from her? She's seemed really down lately, and I think it's because she's missing Jr. or something. She breaks my heart when I see her."

Shion told her urgently, "Then that's even more reason to keep your mouth shut, Miyuki! If she's missing Jr., then she certainly doesn't need to know about the relationship he and I have. I'm trusting you to stay quiet about this." She gave Miyuki a hard stare, and Miyuki sighed but nodded. "Is there a reason I'm hearing from you? It can't be simply because you were bored, right?"

Miyuki's slightly sad face cleared instantly. "Well, I was bored, but I'm not calling you for that. See, we keep busy here, but I've also managed to have free time too. And just guess what I did with it?" Shion shrugged, appearing uninterested as she looked over her shoulder toward the bridge. "I made a brand new M.W.S. just for you! I wasn't sure if you guys aboard the Elsa would have to fight, but I thought you might want to be prepared if so. I'll send it over to you."

Shion turned just as the light from the transportation vanished. She picked up the new weapon and was amazed by its lightness. "Miyuki, how did you manage to make this one even lighter than the previous one? I can hardly feel its weight."

Miyuki giggled. "I just kept playing around until I came up with an idea I liked. I hope you like the color," she said with a teasing note.

Shion hadn't really noticed the color at that point, but now that Miyuki had mentioned it, she realized it was a beautiful aquamarine color. "It's a very nice color, but why did you say it like that?"

Miyuki put a hand to her forehead, shaking her head at Shion's slowness. "It's aquamarine, which is a combination of the color of your and Jr.'s eyes. I thought it was a nice touch myself," she said loftily, preening.

Shion sighed, but she did have to admit she liked the thought of a combination of her and Jr. "If I have a chance to test it out, I'll let you know the results, okay? I'd better get going. I'm really tired, so I think I'll just lie down for a while." She shot Miyuki a scorching glare when she tittered and jabbed a finger at the terminal to end the transmission.

Later that night, Shion had just slipped into her nightclothes and looked over to see Mary curled up in her bed, deeply asleep, when the door to the cabin slid open. There was no need for her to admit Jr., since he'd had the alarms removed just as he'd promised himself he would. Shion sat down on her bed and wrapped her arms around her waist, feeling strangely shy. Jr. made his way over to her and leaned down to capture her mouth with his in a lengthy kiss. When it ended, he straightened up and said a bit hoarsely, "I thought I'd be decent and stay out of here until Mary fell asleep." He pressed a finger to her lips as she started to speak. "It's only for this one night, Shion. There won't be any sense to doing it again after this, since Mary and Shelley will be made aware of the new development in the morning. Now let me go and get ready." He headed off in the direction of the bathroom.

When he returned, Shion was already asleep, or at least pretending to be. He was nearly certain it was the latter. He slipped into bed beside her and brushed aside a piece of hair that was covering her ear. He took the opportunity to gently nip at the now uncovered ear, and she shivered slightly. "You're still awake," he accused, but without any heat. He slid the strap of her satiny top out of the way and kissed her shoulder, making his way slowly toward her neck. A strangled sound escaped her, and she stiffened against him.

He pulled back, sighing. "Okay, we'll forget about it for now. It's enough that we're finally in the same bed. I'm not going to force you, and you know that. Can I at least hold you?" She turned to him and, after settling her head on his chest, allowed him to slip his arms around her. As she listened to the rhythm of Jr.'s heartbeat, Shion's eyes grew heavy and she was soon asleep. Jr. followed soon after as he lay stroking her hair.

Shion awoke, disoriented. She wasn't alone in her bed, and it took her a few minutes to process why that was. After remembering Jr. was with her, she realized that sometime during the night, his arms had fallen from around her and she had been sleeping in her normal position, which was on her side. Slowly she took notice of the fact that her back was hurting her, and she shifted uncomfortably. Almost instantly, she felt an arm come over her, stopping her from moving. "Jr.," she whispered, "are you awake?" There was no reply, but she wasn't fooled by that. "That was too quick of a reaction, so I know you're not sleeping."

Jr. chuckled. "Yeah, I did react a little too quickly. I knew I should have just snaked my arm around you."

She moved so that she was facing him. "Have you been awake for a while?"

He shook his head, surprising her. "No, I actually woke up only a few minutes before you did. I was sleeping pretty well tonight. I could get used to that."

She was aware that other than his arm resting over her, he hadn't made a move to touch her. She knew that he was thinking of what he'd said to her before they'd fallen asleep, and that would keep him from laying a finger on her because he thought she didn't want it. She brought a hand to the back of his head and gently compelled him to lower it. When her mouth met his, she felt him start because it wasn't often she was the aggressor. He knew much more than she did, and she was content to let him lead in this area. She pressed against him a little wantonly, and Jr.'s restraint broke. He shifted his position and took fierce control of her mouth, and he kept her occupied enough that she never once gave a thought to Mary sleeping in the other bed. While in the very beginning, Jr. still had enough sense left to wonder why Shion had suddenly changed her stance, a short time later, he could only give enough thought to mindless pleasure.

Afterward, he was pressing tiny kisses to her collarbone as she stretched luxuriously. "Why did you change your mind, Shion? When I tried before, you didn't want me touching you. Are you just more pliant after you've been sleeping?" he teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "No, that's not what it was." She was quiet for a few seconds. Finally she whispered, "I wanted you." She turned her head away, a rosy blush starting to stain her cheeks.

He gently forced her to look him in the eyes. "There's nothing wrong with that. You know," he said with a wicked grin, "you weren't worrying about Mary waking up when you were loudly crying my name just before."

"Jr.!" She shoved him off of her and rolled onto her side, not facing him.

With a low laugh, he moved the hair covering the back of her neck out of his way and brought his mouth there, raising gooseflesh along her skin. "I was just pointing out the truth about how deeply Mary sleeps is all." She made a huffy sound but snuggled against him. Not long after, they both fell back to sleep, his hand possessively laid on her hip and her head tucked under his chin.

In the morning, Shion was walking out of the bathroom, toweling her hair dry, when she heard Mary's strident voice. "Why are ya here already, Little Mastah? It's a lil' early, don't ya think? Shouldn't ya be on the bridge since we'll be arrivin' at that place today?"

The two of them came into Shion's line of view just as Jr. snapped back, "Don't worry about where I should and shouldn't be, Mary. Besides, I have the right to be here since this is where I'm staying now." She noted his hair was still wet and tousled from the shower, and he wasn't completely dressed as of yet, but obviously Mary hadn't noticed that incriminating detail before she'd spoken.

Mary's blue eyes went wide. "Wha??? Are ya sayin' what I think you're sayin'?" She sat down heavily on her bed, and that was when she spied Shion by the few stairs leading up to the area where the beds were. She sprang to her feet and pointed a finger at her. "How dare ya bring Little Mastah in here without discussin' it with me and Shelley first! We live in this cabin too, ya know! Ya think you're so almighty important just because you're sleepin' with the Little Mastah -"

Jr. roared, "That's enough, Mary! Just who in the hell do you think you are to talk to Shion like that?! If you'd like, I'll kick you out of this cabin faster than you can break anyone's eardrums with that freakin' accent you insist on using!" His blue eyes were flashing dangerously, and Shion quickly rushed up behind him and laid a hand upon his shoulder to calm him. He placed his hand over hers, but she could still feel the anger rolling off him. "I think you need to get out, right now. If you don't, I won't be held responsible for my actions. Do you understand me?"

Mary clenched her hands into fists as she stared at him. "I understand ya just fine! But don't ya dare think you've driven me outta here! This is where I sleep too, and I ain't leavin' it for good!" She stormed toward the door, and that was when Shelley walked into the room.

"What is going on in here?" she demanded. "I could hear you in the lounge, Mary. What could possibly have you so upset that you would be screaming the way you are?"

Mary turned her fury on the sister that she felt had abandoned her. "It ain't as though ya even care, Shelley! Ya won't say hardly two words to me anymore! But if ya really gotta know, we got ourselves a new roommate! Little Mastah doesn't have **her**," she shot a venomous look in Shion's direction, "near enough, so now he has to be in her damn bed all of the time!"

Shion grabbed Jr.'s arm as he made to move toward Mary. "No!" she whispered frantically. "Jr., just please let it go for now! Let her leave and don't make it worse!"

Shelley's purple eyes slid toward Jr., who seemed to be trying to bring his temper under control. "Then I am afraid I cannot stay here any longer. It will not be much of a loss to any of you, being that I rarely sleep here as it is." She saw Jr.'s face go white, but she looked away from him to say to Mary, "It would be wise if you were to leave. A verbal sparring with Little Master will only lead to things being said that need not be." Mary spun on her heel and rushed out of the room like a whirlwind. Shelley followed in her wake.

There was silence in the cabin for a time after the Godwin sisters had made their exits. Jr. sat down on the bed and covered his face with his hands. Shion sat down next to him and placed her arms around his shoulders but refrained from saying anything to him. She only wanted to let him know she was there with him. Finally he looked at her, and she could see the strain showing in his eyes. "I know I told you Shelley would leave when she found out I had moved in here, but it was still something I guess I wanted to be wrong about," he said quietly.

She brought a hand to his cheek and he leaned into it, sighing. "Jr., I wish there was something I could do. It doesn't seem fair that you have to deal with all this strife too. Maybe if I could somehow talk to Shelley…"

He kissed her gently. "Thank you for wanting to attempt to make things better. This is something that can't be fixed, though. Shelley made it clear that she has a serious aversion to me, and all I can do is suffer it. She won't talk to me, so I don't know what's wrong, and I seriously doubt she'll listen to a word you say. You said she's been avoiding you since we started our relationship. Obviously you're too close to me for her to be at all comfortable with you anymore. Since there's nothing more to be said about the subject that's going to help, we might as well head to the lounge to eat." He caught a glimpse of Shion's face and clapped a hand to his forehead. "Crap, I forgot, Shion." He rubbed her back as she leaned over, breathing deeply.

A minute or so later, she sat back up straight and laughed weakly. "I suppose this is what they mean by that old Lost Jerusalem term 'morning sickness.' Thankfully, it does seem to strike me only in the morning, because I don't think I could handle this all day. I'll go to the lounge with you, but I'm going to see if the droids can whip me up some toast. It's about all I can have at this point. First, though, why don't you finish getting dressed, okay?" She allowed him to pull her to her feet after he'd done so, and they made their way out of the room toward the lounge.

The only person in the lounge when they arrived was Captain Matthews, who was obviously nursing another one of his hangovers. "I think I need somethin' stronger," he groaned as he shoved the glass away that contained the "cure" the droids had all worked together on to create for him. He glanced up at them with bloodshot eyes and tried to focus on them, which was difficult when he was seeing double. "Little Master? That you with the former Ms. Vector there?"

Jr. couldn't hold back a snicker at his state. "Matthews, I hold my liquor better than you do, and that's pretty sad considering I have the body of a fourteen-year-old."

Matthews tried to glare at him but gave up when the effort made his head hurt. "You can drink me under the table, Little Master, which makes me feel like a helluva lot less of a man. I think there's somethin' wrong with that, but I don't have it in me right now to think on it too much." He pulled the glass back toward him and managed to down it in one gulp, shuddering as he did so. "That is some damn awful stuff. Anyway, what the hell happened to ya last night, Little Master? I've grown kinda used to being woken up when you can't sleep for an early morning card game and some beer to go with it."

Jr. sat down across from him and pulled a giggling Shion into his lap. "Well, you can rest easy now, Matthews. I won't be waking you up like that anymore, since I'm staying in the women's cabin from now on. And hey," he said, eyeing the mirth-filled Shion, "what's so damn funny?"

She couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as she replied, "I just feel sorry for the captain is all. Poor man can't even sleep because you can't. You have to share the wealth, hmmm?"

Jr. waved a hand airily. "I had to keep myself busy, since I didn't want to wander around the ship. I always read first," he said slightly defensively.

One of the droids bounced over to ask if they wished to have anything for breakfast, and they all placed their orders, although Shion placed hers with a slightly green face. Matthews gazed at her with what for him would be termed concern. His tonic seemed to have started taking effect, and he wasn't weaving in the booth anymore. "You okay? You're looking kinda green around the edges."

Shion smiled bravely at him. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Mornings aren't my best time right now is all. Once I have some toast and ginger ale, my stomach will settle down."

Jr. made a face but ran a hand over her back comfortingly. "Are you even sure this is normal, sweetheart? It can't be good to feel like this. Maybe you should check with someone about it."

Shion rolled her eyes at him. "And who do you suggest I ask? Actually, your extensive collection of books came in handy for once. There was one about medical health, and it talked briefly on pregnancy. What I'm feeling is perfectly normal, and that's where I found that Lost Jerusalem term I told you about. So stop worrying," she said softly, kissing him on the cheek for Matthews' benefit.

Jr. wasn't that subtle and turned his head to steal a kiss from her, ignoring Matthews' usual groan when he had to see them interact like that. "You know I always worry about you." He faced Matthews, who was intently staring off toward the bar with a longing expression. "So when are we going to hit that place we're looking for, anyway?"

Matthews seemed relieved by the change in conversation. "It should be within the next couple of hours. It had better be," he said darkly. "I'm sure you felt her shudder early this morning."

Jr. caught Shion's eye, and the look in his eyes made her duck her head, blushing intensely. Jr. coughed. "Uh, no, I can't say that I did, Matthews. I was sleeping pretty heavily, though, which is unusual for me. That must be why I didn't notice."

Matthews appeared blissfully unaware of the current running between his two tablemates for once. "The Logic Drive is almost shot. If this place turns out to be completely different from the analysis, and we can't land there, we're gonna be in some serious trouble."

Two droids stopped in front of the table, carrying plates heaped with food for Jr. and Matthews and one with Shion's toast. They set the plates down, along with the glass of ginger ale Shion had asked for. Jr. felt Shion tremble in his arms and he asked quickly, "What's wrong?"

She turned to him, her face sweaty. "All of these smells are making me nauseous. Oh God," she choked before jumping up and rushing out of the lounge, her hands covering her mouth.

Jr.'s first impulse was to follow after her, but he checked it long enough to say, "Make sure you call me when we get there, Matthews, and I mean immediately." He hurried after Shion.

Matthews shrugged and decided there was no sense in wasting food, so he dumped everything from the Little Master's plate onto his. If he were to come back, he could always have another plate made up for him, and it certainly didn't look as though Shion would be coming back any time soon.


	12. Shelley's Feelings & Landing The Elsa

Shelley stepped off of the elevator and stopped for a minute. Her first thought after the scene with the Little Master had been about finding Allen, but now she wasn't sure that was the right thing to do. She was afraid that asking him to listen to her problems would be asking for far too much. She also wasn't the type of person to depend on someone to solve said problems for her. As she stood there debating whether or not to walk back onto the elevator, she heard footsteps and her eyes shifted to the direction they were coming from.

"Hey, Shelley," Allen greeted. "I hope we still have a little bit more time before we hit that place because if not, we're not getting those communicators done. From what the Professor keeps whining about, I'm gathering that if we don't, Jr. will most likely have our heads." He suddenly noticed how pale Shelley was. "What's wrong? You're as white as a sheet!" He strode over to her and placed a hand on her arm. "Do you need to sit down or something?"

She shook her head. With Allen's appearance, she had made the decision to tell him what had happened above. She wasn't looking for sympathy; she simply realized that she needed a kind ear. "No, Allen. I believe that I will be fine, but is it all right if I speak with you of something that occurred on the upper level?"

Allen shot her an incredulous look. "Shelley, after everything you've let me unburden on you, I shouldn't have to say that you don't need permission to do the same to me. Come on. Despite what you say, I think you need to sit down." He glanced around before sighing. "Except there is nowhere to sit down. Unless you'd like to head upstairs and talk in the lounge or something." He breathed a sigh of relief when she shook her head again. He tried to avoid the lounge as much as possible, other than at mealtimes, since Captain Matthews tended to be in there quite a bit, which lead to the very real possibility of Jr. and Shion joining him. Since he'd asked Jr. about speaking to Shelley, Jr. had been even ruder to him than he'd thought any single person was capable of. He did understand the reasoning behind it, but it didn't mean he had to make himself an available target for Jr.'s cruelty.

The two of them settled for heading into the gunroom to talk. Shelley was quiet for a minute as she gathered her thoughts and prepared to tell Allen about what had happened. "I was planning on following the three of you down after I had finished my tea, but it was not very long after you had left that I heard Mary shouting. While I am aware Mary is a naturally loud person, this was very out of the ordinary for her. I quickly rushed to the women's cabin, where it seemed to be originating from. When I entered the room, it appeared she was about to leave. She informed me that we had acquired a new roommate over the night."

Allen took the news with barely a flinch. "Jr. moved in with Shion then?" He laughed slightly. "That sounds so strange, considering their relationship and her pregnancy. So what happened when Mary told you this?"

Shelley gazed at him directly. "My decision was to leave the room entirely. Allen, I cannot stay there with Little Master. Oddly enough, when I announced my decision to them, his face drained of every bit of color. When I saw that, it bothered me on a level I cannot understand." She fell silent.

Allen said quietly, "Do you think it bothered you because somewhere deep within you, you actually want to end this…standoff you have with him?"

She grew agitated, and Allen once again found it intriguing that only he had seen her emotional. She was always so cool, calm, and collected. It brought the realization about that she had grown comfortable with him, and it created within him a small glow of happiness. He didn't want to examine the happiness too closely; instead, he treasured the fact that it was there. He waited on her answer, feeling that he had said enough.

"Allen, it has been far too long. How could I ever speak to Little Master? We have been through this before, and my answer has not changed. I cannot speak to him. It will hurt the both of us far too much!" Shelley was trying to bring her emotions under control, and Allen could see that the fact that she couldn't as of yet was putting her in a further state of turmoil.

He didn't stop to think; he just did what he felt was right. He took her hands in his and asked her in a soft voice to look at him. She did after a few seconds, and he could see the tears welling in her eyes. "Shelley, I think the time is coming that you'll need to deal with this. Once you do so, you'll be able to move on, like you've been helping me to do. Until then, just know I'm here for you to talk to. I'm a really good listener." She gave him a small, grateful smile and nodded briefly. "Now, how about we go down to where those two **wonderful** friends of mine are and get you involved in some serious work?"

Shelley took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, I do believe that would be very helpful. I do have the feeling that they will not be able to finish without us, despite the Professor dismissing my work."

Allen rolled his eyes and laughed ruefully. "That's his way of complimenting you. If he says it looks as though you did nothing, it means you impressed him. Having spent so much time around him, I've learned to read him pretty well." He turned and left the room to head down the hallway, Shelley following him closely with a tiny smile playing about her lips.

Somewhat later in the day, there was a flurry of activity on the bridge. Matthews sat up straight in his chair and raised it higher in the air to take a good look at what they were approaching. "Hammer!" he barked. "Go get the Little Master! He wanted to know when we were finally in range."

Hammer got up from his seat, mumbling to himself. Matthews caught the words "Little Master" and "better not be" before he disappeared through the door. Tony let out a shout as a fierce shudder went through the Elsa. "Captain, we don't have too much time left to set her down! If we can't do this…"

Matthews shot him a look that clearly said it was wise for Tony to shut his mouth for the time being. "I'm aware of that! Once Little Master gets here, we'll see if we can run a quick analysis confirming what we thought."

Jr. came pelting through the door, and a minute later, Shion followed. She stayed in the back of the room and avoided eye contact with Hammer when he passed by, and Tony never once turned to look at her. "Whoa!" Jr. cried and was immediately annoyed to hear his voice crack. It didn't do it much, but it tended to happen at times he least wanted it to. He cleared his throat angrily and tried again. "For some reason, I wasn't expecting it to be quite that big. Can you run an analysis, Hammer?"

Hammer started tapping away. He was quiet for a few minutes as the analysis ran but then he punched a fist in the air. "It all checks out, like we thought. We should have no problem setting her down, and there's the bonus that the air is breathable. We'll be able to get out of this ship for a while!"

Jr.'s tone when he answered brooked no room for argument. "No. We don't know anything about this place, so no one goes out of the ship. We set the Elsa down, we fix what needs to be fixed, and then we get going again. If anyone leaves, it'll be me."

Shion's startled gaze shot to him. "Jr., what are you talking about? You seriously can't be thinking of going alone?!"

Jr. turned to her. "We'll talk about this later, Shion. For right now, set her down as quickly and safely as you can, Tony," he said, looking over his shoulder at the pilot. "That last shudder was a warning, and we'd better take heed of it."

Tony said, "You got it, Little Master! With my immaculate piloting skills, you won't feel the landing at all!" Hammer groaned but kept his thoughts to himself.

Outside the door to the bridge, Shion spun to face Jr., her eyes flashing. "You are not going out there alone! We have no idea what's down there, and you'll have no way of contacting us if something happens! I won't let you go!"

Jr. slipped his arms around her waist and hauled her close. "Stop worrying so much. It's not good for the baby." Shion opened her mouth, outraged, and he silenced her with a kiss. "Listen, I know what I'm doing. Think of what the Durandal was for. I did this kind of stuff all of the time. I'm a pro at it."

"Then take someone with you! Going alone is just asking for trouble, Jr.! We have no working communicators, so you need backup." She stared into his eyes, willing him to understand what was making her so upset.

"Shion, who do you suggest I take with me? Matthews certainly isn't going to go, even if he did have the training back in the day. Tony is a pilot. While he may be able to wield the guns I loan him, he's not really a fighter. Hammer is a navigator and an expert hacker. I don't think I'll need either of those skills while I'm out there. My first choice would have been Mary because she's backed me up plenty of times before, but I'll be damned if she'll back me up this time. Not after the way she treated you in the cabin. And if it weren't for you pleading with me and looking at me with those beautiful emerald green eyes of yours, I'd have made her wish she'd never opened her mouth." He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek and then curved that very hand around the back of her neck to bring her close for another kiss. "Those eyes can do me in almost every time."

She knew what his plan was, and she wasn't about to let him execute it. He was so confident that his kisses would leave her head spinning, and she'd allow him to do as he wanted. With how afraid she was for him, she wasn't about to let that happen. "That's not everyone, Jr.," she pointed out.

He cursed and pulled away from her to lean against the railing. "So who's left? I don't think I'll be asking Shelley, but that's just a hunch I have." His eyebrows came together in a frown. "Allen can't even hold a crossbow right without it knocking him on his ass. Then there's also the fact that hey, I don't like him." Shion started to say something but then seemed to think better of it and allowed him to continue. "The Professor, besides being so damn annoying I'd like to strangle him, is far too old to be of help. And Scott is afraid of his own shadow."

Shion said quietly, "You're missing someone, and you know it." She wanted to say something to him about his continued hatred of Allen, but she was at a loss as to how to go about it. She'd thought that when he knew for certain she would never leave him and return to Allen, he would slowly start to get over it, but he had shown no signs of doing that yet. She thought it must have something to do with Allen asking him to speak to Shelley. He could be a very private person about some things, and Allen interfering in a situation like that would have negative repercussions.

Jr. seemed unaware of Shion's inner thoughts as he responded sharply, "I forgot no one, Shion. You weren't mentioned because you're not going. Put the thought out of your head, right now."

She protested, "I've backed you up plenty of times too, Jr.! How many times have we fought at each other's side? I can fight, and you're well-aware of that fact. I can also support you if need be. So why isn't my idea feasible?"

He took hold of her arm and pulled her into his embrace, her back pressed snugly against his front. His hands came to rest upon her stomach, and he said very quietly, "You weren't carrying my child at any one of those times, Shion." Her shoulders slumped, and he felt the fight go out of her. "I won't put the two of you at risk. I won't be able to focus if I have to worry about you. So please stay onboard the ship."

The Elsa suddenly tilted wildly to the right, and Shion gave a small scream of surprise. Jr. shouted and managed to take hold of the railing with one hand, and with his other arm, keep Shion from being flung out away from him and into the wall. "What the hell is he doing up there?!" He was about to let go of the railing and return to the bridge to read Tony the riot act when the Elsa once again shifted, and he and Shion fell to the floor. "Shion, are you okay?" he asked, concern written all over his face as their eyes met.

She nodded slowly and was about to answer when there was a loud screeching. He wrapped his arms around her and told her to stay down. Obviously Tony wasn't going to be able to land as he'd thought because the Logic Drive had finally given up its fight to remain functioning. A hard shudder went through the ship to indicate it had made contact with something inflexible. "I think we finally landed," Shion said with a shaky laugh.

Everyone gathered on the bridge not too long of a time later, everyone but Shion. Jr. knew where she was, and he'd stop by there before he set foot off of the Elsa. For now, he needed to talk with the Professor. "Are you sure you'll be able to fix the Logic Drive? We can't hang out on this planet for very long. We've got to keep heading in Lost Jerusalem's direction. Detours aren't on the itinerary."

The Professor said snidely, "Yes, we can fix it. It's a rather boring job, if you'd like to know the truth, but Assistant Scott and I can handle it." He turned to talk to Scott, who nodded toward Allen and Shelley. Scott was frightened to death of Little Master and rarely spoke in his presence unless he absolutely needed to. "Bah, I don't know why you're scared of The Arrogant One. He's all talk and no action."

Jr. narrowed his eyes at the Professor. "I'd have a thing or two to say about that, but since I'd like to get moving, I'll let it go until later. Did you finish what you were working on? It looks like I'll be needing one, so for your sake, it had better be done."

The Professor tossed something in his direction, the something he'd taken from Allen. Jr. caught it and glanced down at it to see that it was indeed a communicator. "Does it work?" he snapped.

"No, sonny. I just wanted you to tell me how shiny and new it looks. Fool. Of course it works! We all worked our tails off so we wouldn't have to listen to you complain!" The Professor left the room, ushering Scott ahead of him, mumbling, "Why I ever agreed to come along on this trip…"

Allen and Shelley exited as well, Allen looking happy to be out of Jr.'s line of vision. Matthews looked down at Jr. from his seat. "I haven't seen anything moving out there, Little Master. It looks pretty barren here. Just remember to keep in contact with us, okay?"

Jr. gave him a careless grin. "Don't worry about me, Matthews. I'll be fine. If anything happens, I'll be sure to contact you, but don't expect anything before then. I can take care of myself." He hurried out of the room, determined to see Shion before he left.

He entered the women's cabin and, as he'd expected, Shion was sitting on their bed, her legs drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. She looked up when he entered and immediately looked away, her head tilted haughtily. "Shion, don't be like this," he pleaded. "It's not like I'll be gone all that long. I need to know that you'll be safe here on the ship."

She refused to answer him, so he sat down beside her. He laid a hand upon her silky hair. "I'd rather you be angry with me here than possibly be in danger where I'm going. Anger I can deal with when I get back," he said teasingly. He stood up, knowing that it was best not to try and kiss her. "I'll be back before you know it." He walked to the door and was gone.

Shion waited about fifteen minutes before she got to her feet and hurried over to where she'd stowed the new M.W.S. She'd hated acting pouty with Jr. and allowing him to go off thinking she was angry with him, but it had to be done so that she could follow him at a safe distance. She wasn't about to allow him to be alone while doing reconnaissance of completely unfamiliar territory. When he'd spoken of possible danger before he'd gone, she knew her decision to keep an eye on him was worth the very real danger of his being extremely angry at her for disregarding what he'd asked her to do. She clenched and unclenched her fist a few times to get her arm used to the new weapon, and then she rushed out of the cabin.

She was nearly to the hatch that lead outside when she heard a voice behind her say her name. She quickly spun around to face the owner and gave Shelley a confused look. "Shelley, was there something that you wanted?"

Shelley gave her a very brief smile, so brief that Shion was sure she had imagined it. "When I realized you were not on the bridge with us, I knew what you were planning, Shion." She quickly made her way over to Shion, lifted Shion's hand, and placed something in the palm. "Please take this with you. Be safe, and keep Little Master safe as well." She turned away from Shion and was on the elevator before Shion had recovered from her surprise enough to look down at what Shelley had given her.

"Thank you, Shelley," she whispered, clutching the communicator to her chest for a minute before she stepped through the hatch to follow after Jr.

On the lower level of the Elsa, Shelley stepped off the elevator to see that Allen was waiting for her. He didn't say anything; he just gave her a simple smile that told her he knew what she had done, and that he approved of it. The corners of her mouth turned up in acknowledgement, and then they both headed down the hallway toward what Allen had somewhat affectionately nicknamed "The Room of Insanity."


	13. Maybe This Wasn't Such A Good Idea

**Author's note - **This chapter might come across as slightly strange, and I'm sorry for that. It was an idea I had that wouldn't leave me, so I had to go with it. Oh and I would really like to take the time to thank Miksu, Princess Artemis, Jr.sLover and xenoplayer from Xenolegacy for their continuous support, no matter how much I whine. I also want to thank E.S. Simeon for being a loyal reader and reviewer. Thanks so much, everyone!

It took Shion a little while before she was able to pick up Jr.'s trail, but once she found it, she made sure to keep a healthy distance between them. She had a couple of scares along the way, where Jr. would pause and lift his head to glance around. She would stay very still, hardly daring to breathe, until he seemed content that he was imagining things and then push on. It was during one of these times she discovered she hadn't been nearly as stealthy as he'd tricked her into thinking. He stopped dead in his tracks, gazed toward the rock that she was crouched behind and sneaking quick looks around, and called out, "I know there's someone or something there. I also know that whoever or whatever you are, you've been following me for quite some time. So how about we save ourselves the trouble and you just show yourself, okay?"

Shion bit her lip. She was hoping that if she stayed hidden, he'd think he was wrong, shrug, and walk on. She was also aware that if he saw who exactly had been stalking him, she was in for some serious trouble. Then she heard his footsteps approaching her hiding place. Knowing she had no way out, she took a deep breath to steady herself and then rose to her full height.

The look on Jr.'s face was almost comically incredulous. "Shion?" he breathed, as though hoping by saying her name, her image would disappear.

She cringed. She was not a cowardly person by nature, and it wasn't even that the thought of Jr.'s temper rearing its ugly head scared her; it was more that she had been hoping to avoid this confrontation and make her way back to the Elsa with him never having been the wiser. She smiled weakly at him. "Yes, it's me."

Fury filled his blue eyes immediately. "What…the…hell?" was all he could manage to say. She saw his hands clench into fists, and that was a telltale sign that this was going to be bad.

She rushed to explain. "Jr., I couldn't let you go off alone! I tried to tell you that, and you wouldn't listen!"

He strode over to her, his entire body vibrating with what was at the moment barely suppressed anger. "You ignored a direct order to stay onboard the Elsa! What the hell is wrong with you, Shion? I didn't give you that order just to hear myself talk!"

She cried, "I'm not a damn soldier you can order about! How was I supposed to stay on the ship when you were talking about possible danger out here? What if that possible danger turns out to be more than you can handle alone?"

He shouted, "And what if now we were to be attacked and something happened to either one of us because I can't focus on what the hell I'm doing?! I told you to stay put because I knew you'd be safe there, and that put my mind at ease, dammit! I could concentrate on what I needed to do without worrying about you!"

Her eyes turned stormy. "So it's perfectly fine to allow me to sit in the cabin, worrying to death that something will happen to you and I won't know about it?! I don't agree with that, Jr.! Not at all."

Jr. was quickly working his way into a towering rage. "I don't give a damn if you don't agree with it, Shion! The whole point is that you and the baby were safe there! If something were to happen to me, then I'd at least know that you two were okay! Jesus!" He began to furiously pace. "I can't believe that you broke your promise to me to stay there," he growled at her.

She held up a hand. "You never made me promise, Jr. If you had, no matter how much it would have killed me, I would have stayed because of it. I wasn't bound by any promises, though. My instinct was to come after you and make sure that the father of my child remained safe!"

He jeered, "And what did you plan on doing if something did happen? You have no weapon, Shion." That was when he finally took notice of the M.W.S. she carried. "Where did you get that?" he asked her in a dangerously low voice.

She replied quietly, "Miyuki sent it to me. She thought it was a good idea in case we needed to do any fighting."

He covered his face with his hands and shook his head. "She sent a pregnant woman a weapon. I knew she came up short on brain cells, but now I know just how short she actually is on them. And you hid it from me." It wasn't a question but a statement. He glared at her when he uncovered his face.

She waved a hand at him. "**This** is why I hid it. I knew how you would react, and I didn't feel like dealing with it. You're treating me like glass, and I hate it! I won't break if I help you. I'm still capable of supporting you, so please let me!"

He drew a deep breath, trying to calm his wild emotions. While one part of him was exultant over the fact that her love for him had lead her to follow after him, the other, much louder part of him wanted to beat sense into her and make her see that he'd only been trying to protect the two things that mattered most to him. "You can't go back to the Elsa," he said tonelessly. "We're too far out, and I can't waste the time taking you back there. I certainly won't let you walk back on your own. So you are to stay by my side, and you are to listen to what I say, Shion. If you want to support me like you say you do, then that's how you can go about doing so."

Knowing the discussion was far from over and that Jr. had only put it aside for the time being, she nodded at him. He grabbed her hand and together they set off further into the barren land.

Several times as they were walking, Shion tried to engage Jr. in conversation, but he seemed intent on ignoring her efforts. She knew he could hear her, despite the roaring wind around them, because his hand would tighten on hers and his posture would stiffen. Heaving a sigh after the final time, she began taking in their surroundings instead. _This is such a lifeless place. It's like an endless array of dirt and rocks. I haven't even seen a tree or any form of plant life. Maybe there's nothing here, and Jr. and I are walking for nothing. Still, I'm glad I came after him, even if he isn't talking to me. I'd rather know he's safe than be constantly worrying about him back on the Elsa._

Her thoughts were interrupted when Jr. came to a halt and she bumped into him. She saw what it was that had caused him to stop in his tracks. There were buildings of some sort coming into view. "It looks as though this planet might not be as uninhabited as we first thought," Jr. said in a low tone. He turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "I want you to stay here, Shion. Stay hidden and don't come unless I shout for you. I'm going to go and check it out and see what's what. Do not move from this spot," he said severely. She gave him a nod, and he continued on toward the buildings.

He circled around the first building and, seeing no sign of movement within, cautiously entered it. "Oh Jesus," he whispered. There was blood spattered everywhere, but he saw no bodies. He moved further inside, taking note that the dwelling was only one floor and consisted of three rooms. There had obviously been a struggle in the last room, but again there were no bodies. He quickly exited and headed for the second building. There was even more blood here, and the bodies hadn't been removed. Jr. choked at how mutilated they were. As he was standing there, trying to find the will to move to the other rooms, he heard a gasp behind him.

He spun around, already knowing who was standing there. Shion had her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide and horror-filled. Once again, Jr. was filled with warring emotions. Sheer, unadulterated anger ran through him that she had dared to disobey his orders yet again, and then there was the need to go to her and hold her. He gave into the second. She lowered her head to his shoulder, weeping. "Jr., what could possibly do this? I've seen Gnosis attacks before, and not even they were as bloody as this is. It's almost as if whatever did this, took great pleasure in doing so."

He held her close, stroking her hair gently. "Yeah, I agree. I don't think it's safe here, sweetheart. It's best if we start heading back to the Elsa. Staying here is not an option after seeing what we've seen."

She lifted her head, her face tearstained. She only nodded, not trusting herself to speak because she was afraid she would start to cry again. He pulled away from her and took her hand, heading toward the door. There was a loud whooshing sound and suddenly Jr. found himself pinned against the wall, Shion's hand having been ripped out of his. He struggled against his attacker, trying to get enough leverage to grab at least one gun from its holster. Whatever it was that was holding him had him in such a position that he couldn't make out clearly what it even was. It had an arm to his throat, nearly cutting off his air supply. He'd almost succeeded in getting hold of his gun when a second one joined the first and slammed his arm against the wall, forcing an exclamation of pain from him.

"Get the hell off me!" he roared. "Shion, where are you?" The one that had its arm to his throat pressed harder on it, and he gagged. Blindly, he straight-armed the first one with his free arm in the chest, and it fell back slightly, enough for him to inhale a great gust of air. "Shion, are you okay?" he cried out. When there was no reply, fear bubbled inside him, and he tried to turn his head in the direction he thought she should be in. The instant he did so, he took a hit to the jaw, which caused him to see stars. Whatever the things were that had attacked him and Shion, they were extremely strong and had very quick reaction time.

The first one that had fallen back returned with a vengeance, grabbing him around the throat and lifting him up against the wall. His feet scrambled to find solid ground, and he clawed futilely at the hand cutting off his airway passage. Blackness started to creep into his vision, and Jr. could feel his struggles growing weaker. That was when the unknown assailant made a strange sound, almost like a laugh. It threw him against the other wall, and he slid to the floor, stunned and breathless. Before he was able to recover, it had taken hold of him again and made another sound that he dimly thought was a call to his other assailant. He felt an odd sensation and then screamed in pain as claws ripped across his chest. The other attacker curled clawed fingers around his throat, holding him down for the first. _Shion…and the baby… I have…to protect…them_, he thought as the blackness started to invade his outer vision again. Gathering all of his strength, he called upon his Red Dragon power and it burst from him in a powerful arc, flinging both foes far from him.

The dread coursing through him at not having heard Shion since they'd been attacked compelled him to rise to his feet, panting. He began limping toward where his instinct was telling him she'd be. He stopped cold at the scene before him. The thing that had attacked her had its clawed hand around her throat and had lifted her up, examining her as she scrabbled to find some kind of leverage. Her M.W.S. lay abandoned on the floor next to her, having obviously been dislodged during the fight. Her legs scissored in an effort to kick at her enemy, but it held her too far away. Her struggling became fainter and her head fell limply to the side. Seeing the light fading from her eyes tore Jr. from his panic-induced stupor, and he rushed at her attacker, shouting hoarsely, "Get away from her, you bastard!" He plowed into its side, and the jarring motion caused it to release Shion, who fell to the floor, coughing as much needed air began filling her lungs again.

Relief poured through Jr. at her coughing, and then rage replaced that relief. It was the rage that caused him to be reckless and attempt to fight Shion's attacker head-to-head, when he was much stronger at ranged fighting. He never gave a thought to the guns holstered beneath his duster jacket. All he wanted was to hurt this monster who had dared to lay a hand on Shion, and through her, endanger his child. He threw a fist at it, catching it in the stomach, but it didn't even stumble. He lowered his head and charged into it, trying to take it off its feet, but again it didn't budge. Cursing wildly, he swung a fist toward it, only to have that fist be hurled back at him with tremendous force. He let loose a scream of agony as he felt something in his arm crack. "Jr.!" Shion cried, her voice husky due to the near-strangulation she'd received.

Breathing deeply through the pain, Jr. finally remembered his guns and grabbed one from its holster, using his uninjured arm. As the thing lifted him up into the air with what sounded like a rasping, sadistic chuckle, he raised the gun grimly and pointed it at the area beneath its chin. There was a high, keening sound right after the gun fired, and the hand holding Jr. loosened. He slid to the floor, his face splattered liberally with a strange, iridescent substance. Shion crawled over to him and together they watched as the odd creature wobbled on its feet and slowly collapsed to the floor.

While Jr. wanted nothing more than to check over Shion and make sure every part of her was accounted for, he knew there were still the other two creatures to be dealt with. He clambered to his feet, cradling his injured arm against his body. "Stay here," he told her, and he made his way back into the room where he'd left his attackers. There was no sign of them. He noticed the window had been broken, and he thought they must have escaped while he was fighting their comrade. He was willing to admit that their exit was for the best, since he doubted he'd be able to take on two more in his current condition. He hurried back to Shion and lowered himself down the wall to sit beside her. "The two who attacked me are gone," he said and leaned his head back against the wall, trying hard to ignore the pain surging through his body.

Shion leaned her head against his shoulder. "Oh Jr., this was my fault. Had I listened to what you said, either time, this might not have happened. I'm so sorry."

Jr. put his good arm around her waist. "No, you were right. Had I been by myself, they would have taken me by surprise and overpowered me. I almost died, Shion. The thought that you were here, and I had to protect you and the baby is what saved me. Oh, crap," he groaned, sucking in a breath as the pain threatened to overwhelm him.

She saw the huge tears in his shirt then and leaned over him. "Jr.," she breathed, "what did they do to you?" She carefully tore open the shirt so she could see his wounds better.

He hissed as she probed gently at his chest. "Shion, I know you're only trying to help, but that freakin' hurts. What are you doing?" He watched her get to her feet and turn to him.

She hushed him. "Open ether circuit," she intoned, and she was surrounded by a gentle light, which she then directed toward Jr. The wounds on his chest began to close up; then finally they were gone. She returned to sitting at his side, looking very tired. "I can't heal your arm with my ether, Jr.," she said softly. "Just healing the wounds on your chest took a lot out of me."

He pulled her close to him. "I appreciate you doing that much. I'll be okay. We should really contact the Elsa, though, and let everyone know what's happened. We've been gone a long time, and they might have been able to fix the Logic Drive in that time. Though with that crackpot old man in charge of the fixing, I doubt it," he said sourly. After contacting Captain Matthews and informing him of the situation using Jr.'s communicator because Shion thought it best to keep Shelley's involvement in her following after him secret, Jr. got to his feet with Shion's help. They were in the process of leaving when he put his hand back to halt her. "Someone or something is coming," he whispered. "Keep quiet."

They were hiding behind the ruined door when whoever or whatever it was entered the house. "I know that you are there," an ethereal voice said. "Please do not be afraid of me. I am, unfortunately, the sole survivor of my people. I came because I sensed **they** had returned, and I wished to see what had lured them back. You may show yourselves without fear."

The peaceful tone in the voice convinced Jr. and Shion to step out of hiding. The being turned to them, and they were both struck silent by the unmitigated beauty when she did so. Long, golden hair cascaded down her back, deep blue eyes gazed at them benevolently, and a smile played upon her lips. Shaking his head to break the spell, Jr. said, "So those things that attacked us did all of this. Why?"

The being shook her head sadly. "I do not know. We were a peaceful race, and they did not exist here with us. They came from another place and this was the result."

Shion asked softly, "How were you able to survive?"

The being was quiet for a time. When she finally answered, she stared into Shion's eyes with unnerving intensity. "A very strange light appeared, and they all seemed to grow frightened by it. They disappeared, and I caught a brief glimpse of what was contained within the light. A beautiful face lost in repose, with a battered and broken body. I did not sense sadness emanating from it, but rather hope. Hope for a new future."

Shion met Jr.'s eyes, but both remained quiet about their thoughts. Jr. took Shion's hand and spoke to the being. "Thank you for coming to check on us. If you don't mind, though, we really need to be getting back to our ship. Will you be safe here by yourself, with those things hanging around?"

"Yes, I will be fine. I thank you for your concern. Now please go, before they return. You do not look well, young man, and should be tended to quickly. And the young lady with you appears on the verge of collapse. Please make haste to your ship, and do not look back. Goodbye and good luck." The being smiled at them and then was gone.

Shion supported Jr. as they made their way back to the Elsa. It was slow going, especially because Jr. would need to stop for a time to deal with the pain raging through him due to his broken arm. During one of these times, Shion decided talking might keep his mind off of the pain for a while. "Jr.," she said softly, "when she spoke of what she saw in that light, what were you thinking?"

He appeared thoughtful for a minute. "I'd say that I was thinking the same thing you were, sweetheart. From the description, it could very well fit KOS-MOS. But why would she even be on this planet? And why would we not have seen her before we landed?"

She stood up to pace, and he couldn't help but laugh. Stopping, she realized why he was laughing and smiled herself. "Something I've picked up from you, apparently. While the killings had been recent, they hadn't just happened when we arrived there," she mused. "It's possible that if it was KOS-MOS, she had already moved on before we landed here. It's just upsetting because we can't know for sure! We can only speculate."

He got to his feet and pulled her close with the uninjured arm. She'd managed to make somewhat of a sling out of the shirt she'd torn off of him, so he didn't need to constantly cradle the injured arm. "We'll be sure to keep an eye out as we travel. We may come across her, but I'm thinking we won't. I have this feeling that if we do see her, it won't be until we arrive at Lost Jerusalem. Maybe this was simply her way of letting you know she's still here." He grimaced as a bolt of pain shot through his shoulder and down his arm. "I think we need to keep moving. The sooner we get to the Elsa, the sooner I can fix this arm of mine."

Surprisingly, when they arrived back at the Elsa, everyone was waiting for them. Matthews took one look at the two of them and said, "You both look like hell. We'll fix up your arm, Little Master, and then I think it's best if you just crash for a while."

Shelley gave Shion a glance, but Shion couldn't read what was in it. Her mind was becoming foggy from everything she and Jr. had just endured, and all she wanted was to sleep. Jr. was quickly taken care of with nanotreatment by Scott, who puffed up rather importantly at being able to order Little Master to go and rest. Afterward, Jr. and Shion disappeared into their cabin. They both curled up in bed, too exhausted even to change their clothes, and Jr. slid his arms around Shion to rest his hands upon her stomach. "Everything's all right there?" he questioned, punctuating it with a yawn.

She replied sleepily, "Our little one is strong, just like us." She placed her hands on his, and then they both fell into a heavy slumber.


	14. Thoughts Revealed

**Author's note - **Sorry this chapter took so long, but I was occupied with something else for a while. I hope it's worth the wait. Oh and I'm happy to see I've acquired a new reader in you, HopelesslyEscaflowne. Thank you for the wonderful comments, and honestly I thought about using KOS-MOS' old maintenance room for them but it didn't quite work out. So here's the new chapter for your reading pleasure. Let me know how it is.

Jr. awoke slowly, his arms tightening around the still sleeping Shion. She unconsciously nestled back against him, but she didn't stir otherwise. This gave him the opportunity to think some things over that he'd been too exhausted to worry about before he'd fallen asleep. He was able to reach an understanding with himself before Shion made a small noise to indicate she was leaving her dreamworld to rejoin him. "Hey there, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear, bestowing a kiss upon it as he did so. She turned and snuggled close to him, still half-asleep. He smiled softly and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Waking up any time soon?"

She shook her head against his chest and mumbled, "Waking up takes too much effort. I'd rather you just hold me for a while."

He shifted back enough so that she couldn't hide her face and lifted her chin up to see her blinking sleepily at him. "While I would love nothing more than to do that, I'm pretty sure you don't want me holding you while I'm still covered in that thing's blood. I must have been really damn tired not to wash this crap off before I crashed." He made a face as he took in just how filthy and blood-stained he was. "I need to take a shower."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you have a certain aroma to you as well. You go ahead. I still need to wake up," she said with a yawn.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Think about this. You're telling me I stink, and I've been holding you in my arms while we slept. Don't you think it'd be wise to take a shower with me?"

She sniffed delicately at the air around her. "You do have a point. Let's go and clean up. We'll have to change the sheets too."

He hopped to his feet and held out his hand to her. "We'll worry about the sheets when we're done. I plan on taking a long, hot shower to get rid of all this. There also might be some bonuses involved." He winked, and with a flourish, pulled her to her feet so they could head for the bathroom.

Much later on, as they left the bathroom, Shion remarked, "I can tell it's not morning, because I am starving. I'm going to get dressed, head for the lounge, and whip up some curry or something. I haven't been this hungry in quite a while." She hurriedly dressed and then turned to Jr., who hadn't done more than dry his hair. He wasn't making any effort to get dressed. She stared at him pointedly. "Um, Jr., I don't think it will go over well if you enter the lounge like that."

He couldn't help but laugh. "I wasn't planning on going there like this." His face turned serious. "Can you hold off on eating for a bit, though? I'd really like to talk to you about something first."

She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. "I have no problem with talking to you, but if you want me to take you as serious as you look, I ask that you get dressed."

He gave her a wry look. "If you insist." After getting dressed, he sat down on the bed MOMO had occupied when she was aboard the Elsa and patted it. "Come and sit by me, okay?" She did so, looking slightly wary. He placed a hand on her hair gently. "You don't need to look like that. I just want to continue that conversation we were having when I discovered my unexpected stalker." His statement did not seem to calm her at all. In fact, she looked even more nervous, so he began stroking her hair in the hope his touch would relax her. "I'm going to be honest with you. Had what happened at that building not happened, I probably would be continuing in the same vein I was when I saw it was you."

Her eyes finally met his. "Does that mean you're no longer angry that I followed you?" She was starting to relax into his touch, just as he'd hoped she would.

His eyes took on a distant look. "I doubt you'll believe this, but I wasn't angry so much as scared. And when I'm scared, I tend to react a little strongly sometimes. While you were sleeping, I had time to think things over. I think the way I handled the whole issue of you remaining on the Elsa could have gone a bit more smoothly." His eyes refocused, and his hand stilled upon her hair.

She turned her face away. "I agree with that, Jr. I don't want to be treated like I'm made of glass. I understand that I'm pregnant, but that doesn't mean you have to lock me up and throw away the key."

He gently turned her face back toward him. "Just let me explain, sweetheart, and maybe you'll see why I'm acting like I am. First, I thought I would never have a child, and now here you are carrying something I can only term a miracle." His hand drifted to her stomach and caressed it lovingly. "You know I was created artificially, so all of this is simply amazing to me. I'm watching the small changes in you each day, and maybe I'm being arrogant, but I'm proud to be a part of those changes. And God, Shion," he said passionately, taking her hands in his, "all I want to do is protect the two of you from every bit of harm I can. Looking back, though, I went about it all wrong. I forced you into a corner by ordering you to stay here. You did exactly what I would have done if it had happened to me. Rather than giving in, you rebelled against me and went off to do precisely what I didn't want. I needed to talk to you like you were my lover rather than one of my soldiers. You were right when you told me you're not a soldier, but I treated you like you were."

She said quietly, "I can't say that I would have stayed if you had asked me rather than demanded it, but it wouldn't have hurt me so badly then. I felt as though I wasn't good enough to go with you. And I wanted -"

Jr. cupped her chin in his hand. "To prove me wrong. As I said, you did exactly what I would have done. I'm sorry," he said and sighed. "I'm not saying I'll stop trying to protect you, because I can't. You and the little one you're carrying mean far too much to me. I will, however, try to remember that we're in a relationship, and we need to discuss things, not just have me make the decision for you."

She slid her arms around his neck. "That's all I ask, Jr. I'm not saying you can't protect us, but I don't want to be placed under a glass dome and kept like a trophy."

His arms encircled her waist to pull her close as he nodded. "Check. No glass dome. You won't get rid of the overprotective lover, though. It comes naturally for me where you're concerned." Their mouths met in a kiss that shook both of them, and he drew back, groaning. "What was the reason you made me get dressed again? Right, you were starving. Let's quickly change the sheets on the bed and head for the lounge. Otherwise, we won't be leaving for a while." He shifted her into his lap to let her know the reason why, and she was leaning into another one of his kisses when her stomach growled. Jr. laughed. "All right, that made me feel guilty. Sheets, then lounge." They worked together to change the sheets and then made their way toward the lounge.

Jr. directed Shion to sit down when they arrived at the lounge. "Hey, you did finally manage to teach me how to make decent curry, so you just leave it to me." He disappeared after a quick kiss.

The droid who tended the bar hopped over with a glass of ginger ale for her. "Here you are, Miss Shion."

She smiled up at it. "Thank you, although my stomach isn't bothering me at the moment. Could I also bother you for a glass of plain water?"

The droid replied, "It is no bother, Miss Shion. I will return with your water momentarily." It hopped back toward the bar, and Shion drifted for a little while she waited for both the water and Jr.

She was lost in thought when the droid brought her water over, and not wanting to disturb her, it placed the water in front of her and disappeared behind the bar again. She jumped a little when she heard Jr.'s voice say, "Lunch is served, or possibly dinner. I'm not exactly sure." Blinking, she looked up at him to see he was looking back at her with concern. "It's okay," she replied to his unspoken question. "I was just thinking about things. Jr., you really outdid yourself this time. This looks wonderful!" Not waiting for him to sit down by her, she immediately set about devouring the curry.

He laughed as he watched her. "You weren't kidding. I don't think I've ever seen you eat like this. Maybe you're making up for all of the times you haven't been able to eat."

She turned her flaming face away from him. "Sorry. I don't think I ever remember being this hungry before. I must look like an absolute pig right now."

Abandoning his plate for the moment, he slid an arm around her waist. "That's not what I meant. I know you're eating for two now, and you've barely been eating enough for one lately. So seeing your appetite return with a vengeance is a good thing. Although I have the feeling mornings are still going to be unpleasant…"

She rested her head upon his shoulder. "Jr., do you think we should tell everyone about what we learned after fighting those things? It's been on my mind since not long after we woke up, but we got a little distracted for a while, and I didn't bring it up."

He was quiet for a bit before answering her. "I think for now we should keep it to ourselves. We're not positive it was even KOS-MOS, so I'd hate to give false hope. It's bad enough that we're sitting here, wondering if it was or not. I wish there was a way we could know for sure, for your sake."

She threaded her fingers through his thick red hair as she spoke. "I wish there was a way too, but there isn't. Worrying about that isn't going to get me anywhere. If we do manage to run across her, Tony would be the first to know, and I'm sure he would tell you. I think what you told me while we were still out there makes sense, though. We aren't going to meet her until we arrive at Lost Jerusalem, so I'll have to content myself with the knowledge that if it was indeed her, she's making her way there as well." She glanced at his plate then and said, "Do you mind sharing that? I'm still a bit hungry."

He laughed again before kissing her very soundly. "You go ahead and eat it. I'll just go get another plate for myself." He didn't have to tell her twice. As he rose to his feet to go back to the kitchen, she pulled the plate in front of her and made short work of the curry upon it.

On the lower level, Allen had been busy since Jr. and Shion had returned thinking up a way to approach Shelley. He was wondering about the look she'd given Shion when she'd seen her, and he was almost positive Shion hadn't understood it either. Although he and Shelley had become comfortable in their friendship, she had been very quiet since they'd come back downstairs. He was almost loathe to disturb her to ask her what she might see as a silly question. So he'd settled for simply working next to her in silence, praying she might bring up the subject herself. He finally decided she wasn't going to, and steeling himself, turned to her and asked, "Shelley, could I ask you a question?"

Shelley lowered the object she was working on. "You have been wanting to for quite a while now, Allen, so I think it would be cruel of me to say no." The smile she gave after indicated she was merely teasing him.

He grinned a little guiltily. "You read me right. It's sometimes a little scary that you can do that." His blue eyes twinkled at her, and then he became serious. "I noticed that when Shion came in behind Jr., you gave her a strange look. As well as I've gotten to know you, I really couldn't read what was in it. Do you mind telling me what was going through your head then?"

She sighed and took his arm to lead him out of the room. The Professor and Scott were busy arguing as usual, so neither took notice they were being abandoned. Out in the hallway, Shelley turned back to Allen. "It may have seemed as though I was giving Shion a look, but in all actuality, it was because my thoughts were focused on her. Seeing the condition she and the Little Master returned in made me question my decision to allow her to follow after him."

A look of understanding settled on Allen's face. "I know that feeling well, trust me."

She said quietly, "Even allowing her to leave with communicator in hand was not wise of me to do. Had something happened to the two of them that resulted in losing them both, that would have been disastrous. Convincing Shion to remain aboard the Elsa might have been a better choice."

He wanted to say something to her about the futility of convincing Shion to do anything she didn't want to, but first he wanted to get to the bottom of her feelings concerning Shion's departure. "Why do you think it would have been better to keep her aboard the ship?"

She lowered her eyes to the floor. "Had we lost Little Master due to his recklessness, that would have been devastating to everyone, despite how he has been acting of late. With Shion aboard the Elsa, however, we would have been left with a piece of him when the child she is carrying was born. His memory would not have died out. Due to my inability to see that I should not have allowed her to leave, we very nearly lost both of them, and I also put an innocent life at risk. That is unforgivable, Allen."

He rested a hand on her shoulder, which caused her to look up at him. "Shelley, there wasn't anything you could have done. Shion is just as stubborn as Jr., and they're drawn to one another in a way no one can fight. Had you tried to convince her what she wanted to do was wrong, you would have encountered what I've encountered too many times to keep track of. She would have gotten huffy and aggravated and told you to get out of her way. You couldn't have stopped her. You're talking to an expert on the matter here."

She gave a small laugh, which surprised him into a return smile. "I had forgotten your expertise in that area. Yes, I suppose you are right. Had I attempted to keep Shion from going after Little Master, I likely would not be standing here in one piece. I think I simply needed to have someone else verify that for me. That was very kind of you, Allen."

He winked at her. "I'm happy to have obliged you. Anyway, now that we've cleared that little matter up, how about we rejoin the slightly less sane half of the team? I'm sure our disappearance has been noted by now, and we'll be getting an earful when we get back." They rolled their eyes at one another, and then headed back into the room, laughing as the Professor started on a tirade about assistants always going missing at important times.

---Three months later---

Having just come out of the shower, Shion quickly grabbed her outfit for the day, quietly joyous at the fact that her morning sickness was beginning to fade. It seemed to attack her about once a week or so now, and since it had become almost debilitating for her, she was glad to have it release its constant grip on her. Jr. walked up the stairs, toweling his hair dry as he did so. "Jr., you are going to trip and fall flat on your face one of these days," Shion said, shaking her head.

Jr. scoffed. "I think I'm more coordinated that that, sweetheart." He sat down on their bed and continued to dry his hair. With his head buried in the towel, he at first didn't hear Shion's cry of despair. The second time she did it, he threw the towel on the bed and jumped to his feet to see what was causing her such distress. He didn't see anything, so he hurried over to her. He said anxiously, "What's wrong? What's making you so upset?"

She refused to turn to him, even when he urged her to. She covered her face with her hands and began to cry. He started to slide his arms around her, and she quickly pulled away from him. "No! I don't want you touching me!"

Jr. was at a loss. She hadn't reacted this way when they'd taken a shower, and nothing had happened in the time they'd left the bathroom until now that he could see, so he was failing to see why she was dodging his touch at this point. "Shion, I don't understand. You won't tell me what's wrong, and you won't even look at me! Did I do something to piss you off that I don't know about?"

Shion wailed, "I don't want you to see me! I don't want to see myself!" She collapsed on the bed she was standing by with her back facing him, sobbing.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Jr. sat beside her and began to stroke her hair. She tried to jerk away from him, but he was ready for her and took hold of her arm. "Please tell me what the problem is. I can't help if I don't know."

She threw herself into his arms, causing him to grunt in surprise at the sudden contact. "Why didn't you tell me?" she sniffled.

He replied, starting to become a little frustrated, "Tell you what? You won't tell me what you're so upset about, so how could I know to tell you when I don't even know what it is you're freaking out about?"

She pulled back and got to her feet, not facing him. Then, quite suddenly, she spun to him and cried, "Just look at me! I have nothing to wear now, Jr.! I can't go out of the room looking like this!"

He gazed at her, but he still was confused as to what had her in the emotional state she was in. "Shion, you have plenty of things to wear. You have a bigger wardrobe than I do. And what do you mean, looking like that? Looking like what?"

She put her hands on her stomach, her eyes swimming with tears. "Almost all of the shirts I have show off my stomach, Jr. That's not exactly an option now, is it?"

His eyes drifted to her stomach, and understanding flooded him. It had been very gradual, so he hadn't taken notice of it until she'd pointed it out, but she definitely had acquired a small bump indicating her pregnancy. He brought his hands up to rest on hers. "I think you look beautiful," he told her softly.

She looked away from him. "You're just saying that. What am I going to do? This renders my entire wardrobe useless."

Hoping to tease her out of her current mood, he said lightly, "I'm not seeing a problem here, you know. This just means I can keep you in bed until the baby's born." The glare she gave him told him she wasn't finding him one bit funny. "Okay, forget I said that. Listen to me. I am not just saying that I think you look beautiful, I swear that to you." He got to his feet and slid his arms around her waist. "Since the morning sickness has given you a break, you've started glowing. It makes you even more beautiful to me than you were before. It also makes me love you more, which I didn't think was even possible." He cupped her chin in his hand and pressed his mouth to hers.

After he pulled back, she still seemed inclined to argue, but then a strange look came over her face. It was a look of surprised happiness, and her hand moved to her stomach. Seeing the confused look he was giving her, she smiled softly. "I just felt her, Jr. I felt her move."

His eyes widened. "You did? Do you think I could feel it too?" When she shook her head regretfully, he sighed but gave her a smile. "The important thing is that you can. And what's this you said? You think we're having a little girl then?"

She placed both hands on her stomach gently. "It's almost like she's whispering to me. She wants me to know who she is." Her emerald green eyes lit up mischievously when she looked at him. "And I'm thinking it's a good thing she's telling me she's a little girl, because her daddy tends to get along much better with females than with males."

Jr. pulled her into his embrace while somehow managing to look down his nose at her despite the four inch difference in their heights. "You're just too hilarious," he said sourly. He covered her giggling mouth with his.

She drew back to say, "Jr., were you ever planning on getting dressed today? Usually I'm good about noticing your state of undress, but I was a bit distracted by my wardrobe problem, which still hasn't been addressed, you know."

He glanced down and then back up at her with a grin. "Oops, I thought it was a bit drafty in here. Give me a minute to make myself decent, and then we'll talk about your clothes issue, okay?" He bounded off as she struggled to keep a straight face.

He returned fully dressed, shrugging into the duster jacket she'd given him for his birthday. "Okay, now that I'm a bit more presentable, let's discuss what we should do about clothes for you. This means you'll need longer shirts, doesn't it? Oh, and doesn't that mean you'll need new pants as well?" Fashion had never been one of Jr.'s strong points. He usually just grabbed whatever looked like it might go together and was on his way. That certainly wasn't how Shion viewed fashion, and he had a feeling he was about to get a crash course in women's clothing.

She tugged on the dark purple shorts she was wearing and tears welled up in her eyes. She wailed, "I'm going to need brand new everything! Who knows how much I'll end up gaining by the end of this? And I don't want clothes that are going to accentuate how much I'm gaining! While I love that she's making her presence known to me, I can't say I'm happy about getting fat!" She was working herself into an emotional frenzy, and Jr. knew he needed to calm her down. It wasn't conducive to her or the baby's well-being for her to remain in the state she was in for long.

"Sweetheart, who said anything about you getting fat? You've only gained a tiny bit of weight, and that's normal. You're pregnant, and that means you can't expect to stay as thin as you were before you became pregnant. We'll get you a new wardrobe, and I promise you that it won't accentuate anything. I'm willing to bet, though, that you're worrying for nothing, and you won't gain all that much." He slipped his arms around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder, tears still rolling down her cheeks. He brought his hand up to stroke her hair gently, which caused her to nuzzle her face into his neck. "Are you hiding from me?" he teased.

Her lips moved against his neck, which shot through him like a bolt of lightning. Forcibly bringing his emotions under control, he waited for her to speak clearly. She lifted her head, her eyes still a little teary. "Do you really want to look at me when I look like this?" she repeated.

"When you look beautiful because you're starting to show that our child is growing? I would look at you every minute of the day like that if I could, sweetheart." He saw her eyes soften, and then her arms slid around his neck, urging him to bring his mouth to hers. "No opposition from me," he murmured before silence reigned for a brief time.

They heard the door slide open, and Jr. felt Shion try to draw back, but he tightened his arms around her, already knowing who had entered the room. "Jr.," Shion hissed, "please let go of me. Mary just came in." She looked into his eyes and realized he hadn't needed her to tell him that. There was an ugly look in those blue eyes of his that only appeared when Mary was in the general vicinity. "Please behave yourself. She hasn't said anything. Let her do what she came in to do and then she'll leave." She tapped him on the chest, and he nodded shortly, loosening his arms and allowing her to move back.

Mary passed by them without a word and stopped by her bed, grabbing something off of the shelf above it. Turning, she headed back toward them and suddenly came to a halt, staring at Shion in surprise. "My goodness, ya certainly have put on some weight, haven't ya?"

Immediately, Shion's eyes dropped to her stomach and then filled with tears. She sat down heavily on the bed, covering her face with her hands. Jr. stalked over to Mary, his blue eyes shooting sparks. "What the hell is wrong with you?! I just managed to get her calmed down, and now you have to go and say something stupid like that! Did all the testing they did on you as a child leave you completely brain-dead?"

Mary stiffened. She hated being reminded of the time she'd spent as a laboratory guinea pig, and the tone in which Jr. had spoken of it hurt even worse. Over the last few months, there had been many times she wished she could simply talk to Little Master and end the feud that had sprung up between them, but when he spoke to her as he was speaking to her now, her emotions took over. "All I did was point somethin' out! I wasn't lookin' to upset her or nothin'! I was just a lil' shocked to see that she's really startin' to look pregnant now."

Shion's small wail went through Jr. like a knife. "And you don't even know when to shut up about it either! Why the hell did you even need to come in here?" he snapped.

Mary snapped back, "All I wanted was to get my bracelet! I didn't even think the two o' ya would still be in here! I try to stay outta here as much as ya seem to want, but it still ain't good enough! Whether ya like it or not, this is still my room too, so ya'd better just deal with me showin' up when ya ain't expectin' it!"

Jr. drew himself up to his full height. "I don't give a damn about it being your room too! All I care about is that you can't keep your damn mouth shut when common sense would tell you just by looking at her that Shion was already upset about something!" He waved a hand toward Shion, who was now watching the proceedings with her mouth open.

Mary cried, "When I walked in, the two o' ya were stuck together like glue! I couldn't see anythin'! And when I started to head back out, she had her head turned the other way! So don't be yellin' at me just 'cause I said somethin' I didn't know was gonna upset her so! She's wearin' a shirt that shows her tummy off, so how could I not see it?"

Jr. was about to make a scathing reply, but Shion's hand covered his mouth before he could do so. "Mary," she said quietly, "I think it's best if you go. I'm just a little sensitive right now, and Jr.," here she gave him a discreet poke in the back, "is picking up on it. I don't want things to degenerate anymore than they already have."

Mary didn't bother to reply to Shion; instead she turned around abruptly and nearly ran from the room. Jr. removed Shion's hand from his mouth and spun to face her, eyes flashing. "Why the hell did you stop me, Shion? I had plenty more to say to her!"

Shion answered hotly, "I know you did, and I'm tired of it being a battlefield in here every time Mary sets foot in the room! You talk about common sense, but you don't have enough yourself to just stay quiet when you need to! Yes, what she said upset me, but she had no way of knowing that it would beforehand. I want you to stop antagonizing her!"

Jr. walked away from her for a moment, trying to bring his temper under control. He had promised himself after the last fight with Mary that he wouldn't allow his anger to get the best of him, but it seemed that wasn't possible. He said quietly, "I'm sorry, Shion. It's just there are issues I have with Mary beyond how she acted when I moved in."

Shion came up behind him to take his hand and lead him to their bed to sit down. "Then please tell me what they are. I'm ready to move out of this room myself because of all the tension floating through it."

He slid an arm around her waist, and after a minute, she lowered her head to his shoulder. "I've been keeping something from you, Shion. It's only because I wanted you to have the chance to deal with it yourself. I try not to be overprotective every minute of the day, although I find it pretty damn difficult." She moved her head to look at him and he kissed her forehead. "It would be just one of the issues I have with Mary, but it does have to do with you, so I think you should hear about this one first."

She said quietly, "I'm listening. I'm very interested in knowing what exactly you've been hiding from me." Her eyes were slightly wary.

"I wanted you to think that I didn't know, to give you a chance to take care of things without me stepping in for you. I thought you deserved that much from me, even though all I wanted was to open my mouth and give her a piece of my mind. The fact that she had the nerve to treat you that way…" Jr.'s eyes met Shion's, and in hers he read dawning realization. "Yeah, I knew almost from the beginning how she was treating you, sweetheart. I just wanted you to have the time to take care of the problem. I knew if I were to step in, you would never forgive me, so I played ignorant. If it makes you feel any better, you did do a good job of hiding what was going on. If I didn't know Mary so well, I don't think I would have guessed from how you acted."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Shion said, exasperated. "Knowing that I put on that whole act of everything's okay and having it be a waste of time is rather annoying, you know. Yes, yes," she waved him off as he opened his mouth, "I understand you wanted me to actually take care of things, but still…"

He squeezed her around the waist. "It wasn't a waste. I told you that Mary was the one to give it away. I saw her eyes when she looked at you, and she made her feelings painfully obvious when we announced you were pregnant. But you, oh love of my life," he said, eyeing her sternly, "didn't do a damn thing when I gave you plenty of time to confront Mary and let her know it wouldn't keep happening. And I want to know why." She bit her lip and turned her head away. Jr. allowed her to remain silent for a slight length of time and then he dipped his head to nuzzle her neck. "An answer would be nice," he said in a playful tone, but she heard the seriousness underlying it.

She sighed. "Because things are already bad enough without me confronting her and making it that much worse. It's easier to just avoid the situation as much as possible."

He said with acuity, "Since when did you start avoiding things again, sweetheart? There must be more to it than that. Be honest with me."

She brought her hands to her face. Jr. was nearly always able to read her feelings upon it, and she didn't want him to do so now. She thought if she just refused to answer him this time, he might give up because she was being stubborn. She felt him take his arm from around her waist and then he took hold of her shoulders. He didn't say anything, but she could feel him waiting, and she sighed even more heavily than before. "All right, it's because I've never been close to Mary and you know that. If it were Shelley, I might try to talk things out with her, but Mary is just different. I wouldn't even know where to start with her."

He pointed out, "You are having problems with Shelley, because of me. So I'm kinda failing to see where you're going with this."

She looked into his eyes, knowing it was time to reveal a secret of her own. "I tried talking to Shelley, quite a while back. I couldn't get a thing out of her about why she's avoiding you, but I could tell it was something very upsetting to her. She apologized for including me in the avoidance, but she said she couldn't look at me without seeing you. I think she started to cry, but she turned away and walked off before I could even reply. With Shelley, I could do that, because we had been close before. With Mary, it's impossible because we've never spoken much. So I let things go because it was the only thing I could do." She lowered her head.

He placed a finger under her chin and tipped it up so he could gaze into those green eyes he adored so much. "Now you're making sense to me. But why didn't you tell me what was going on so that **I** could take care of it for you then?"

She slid her arms around his waist and, snuggling close to him, laid her head upon his shoulder. "Because I didn't want to come between the two of you. I know you were always close to her, and I also know this war you're having must be killing you now. I wish I weren't the cause of it," she told him sadly.

He rested his head on hers. "It's not your fault. Mary chose to make you her enemy, and that leads into the other reason why I'm so pissed off with her." He heaved an angry sigh. "Do you remember back before we started this relationship, sweetheart?" He felt her nod against his shoulder. "Yeah I know that it was a dumb question, but it's leading somewhere, I promise. Mary was the one who actually got on me about admitting my feelings for you. Everyone else used to just joke about it, because they knew, but one look from me and they shut up quick. Mary wouldn't take that crap from me. She forced me to open my eyes to what you meant to me. When you finally looked my way, I was willing to kiss the ground she walked on for making me face reality."

She said very softly, "You would never know that from how she acts toward me." Immediately after she said the words, she wished she could take them back. They made her sound childish, and she liked to think that during the journey, she'd grown up a little. She also didn't want to make Jr. feel worse than he already seemed to. Hoping he hadn't heard them was too much to ask, though…

He had indeed heard what she'd said, even spoken in the low tone she'd used. "She changed almost right away. The instant she heard we had entered into a relationship, it was almost like she became distant with me. I expected her to be happy for me, and when she wasn't, I got a little pissy. Okay, a lot," he amended when she lifted her head to shoot a disbelieving look at him. "She was there for me when I was struggling with it, Shion, and then when I expected her to be there as a friend, she wasn't." He turned his head from her and made a small noise. Shion realized he was trying hard to cover the fact that he had begun to cry.

She reached a hand up to touch his face and he jerked reflexively away from her touch. "Jr., I'm so sorry. Oh, I wish there was something I could do for you!" she whispered fiercely.

Abandoning all thoughts of hiding his emotions from her, he turned back to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her to drag her close. He buried his face in her chest, and knowing she could do nothing but let him cry, she stroked his hair gently and spoke nonsensical words of comfort to him. They stayed that way for quite a while.


	15. Thinking About Moving On

**Author's note - **This was a rather quick update. I have a lot more in my head, but I thought it'd be wise to cut it where it is and then continue on. Oh and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, HopelesslyEscaflowne, but the baby is definitely a girl. Once she makes an appearance, I hope you'll love her just as I've grown to. I'd also like to thank Princess Artemis for constantly being there when I badger her about Allen. Let me know if he's okay in this chapter, all right? As always, I appreciate the reviews and hope the story continues to keep you all reading!

Much later on, Jr. was about to leave the comfort Shion was providing him. She was tired from all of the commotion, and after pulling himself together, he gently pushed her down upon the bed. "You can hardly keep your eyes open, sweetheart. You rest for a while, and I'm going to see what I can do about your wardrobe problem. Thank you for what you just did for me," he added softly after he'd leaned down to kiss her mouth.

Her green eyes crinkled with her answering soft smile, and she stretched up a hand to touch his face. "You're welcome. I love you," she whispered and then fell asleep almost instantly.

He brushed her hair out of her face and replied, even though she couldn't hear him where she was right now, "I love you too, sweetheart. Sleep well." He moved away from the bed lightly and left the cabin quietly. His destination was the UMN terminal because he needed to talk to MOMO.

He rocked back on his heels a bit impatiently as he waited for the connection to go through. Honestly, he wasn't in any kind of mood to talk to MOMO, but he needed to find out if she would be able to help somehow with Shion's problem. The screen suddenly filled with MOMO's image, and she seemed a bit confused to see Jr. staring back at her. He hurriedly began to explain the situation to her. "MOMO, I have something I need to ask. It has to do with Shion. You know that she's pregnant. Well, an issue has come up that has to do with her wardrobe, and I need to know if anyone aboard the Dämmerung can help her out."

MOMO brought a finger to her chin. "What's wrong with her wardrobe? And maybe I'm being silly, but just why are you asking on Shion's behalf, Jr.? Why isn't Allen here asking for her?"

Jr. forcibly put a damper on the anger that swelled within him, and then suddenly an idea struck him. With Shion asleep, there would be no one to keep him from telling MOMO a certain part of the truth. He couldn't tell her all of it, because Shion would never forgive him for going behind her back, and he didn't think it would be good to upset her in such a manner. She was becoming more and more emotional with each passing day, and having MOMO learn all without her blessing would be very traumatic for all involved. With an internal satisfied grin, he returned his attention to the screen.

"Oh well, you see that's the problem. Allen and Shion seem to have had a…parting of ways, I guess you could call it. Things really weren't working out between them, so they thought it best if they dissolved the relationship. She's seemed really down since then, so you could say I've been looking after her. We are good friends after all," he said innocently.

MOMO nodded, although she seemed to eye him rather strangely. "I guess that makes sense. Why haven't I been able to see her lately, though? I miss her, a lot," she said, her golden eyes downcast.

Jr. bit his lip. In all truth, he'd kept Shion from seeing MOMO all this time. Although Shion was afraid of MOMO sensing the paternity of the child she was carrying, she hated the thought of MOMO thinking she didn't wish to talk to her at all. She cared for MOMO like a little sister, and she knew how easily MOMO was upset. Jr. had had to sit her down and tell her point-blank that she wasn't to speak to the Realian. He'd convinced her that if she wished to keep their secret, she was simply going to have to avoid MOMO, at least until she'd given birth to their child. Shion wasn't coping with it well, and so Jr. tried to keep her away from the UMN terminals as much as he possibly could.

"She hasn't been herself lately. She's been on an emotional roller coaster due to the pregnancy hormones, and she's afraid of what she'll do or say. So you probably won't see her at all until after she's had the baby." He coughed. "Anyway, is it possible that with all of the people you've rescued, there was a woman about Shion's size that recently had a baby? She's started to gain some weight, and you know the clothes she usually wears. They don't hide her stomach, and she's really freaking out about it."

MOMO didn't seem very happy with the news that she wouldn't be talking to Shion any time in the near future. "But Jr., that's so many months away! I don't care if she gets snippy with me. I'll know it's not her fault, so please tell her I want to talk to her."

Jr. held up a hand. "MOMO, it's already been decided. Can you just tell me if you can help me out with the wardrobe problem?"

MOMO was about to respond when a frantic barking was heard, and she disappeared from the screen to bend down and pick up Alby. She straightened back up and sighed. "Yes, a while ago, we picked up a doctor and his wife. She had the baby a few months ago, and she looks to be about the same size as Shion. I could ask her if it's all right to transport her clothing, but I doubt she would have a problem with it. She's very nice and eager to help out when she can. Oh, and maybe her husband could even take a look at Shion. I don't know what he'd be able to tell over the connection, but he might be able to make sure everything is going well. I would know right away, but since she won't talk to me…" She trailed off sadly.

Jr., too busy thinking about the safety issues behind MOMO's suggestion, barely gave notice to Alby's persistent barking for his attention. He decided that as long as MOMO wasn't present, then Shion should be able to be looked over by the doctor. He nodded. "All right, I'll speak to her about letting the doctor look her over. Could you possibly find out now, though, about the clothes? I'd like to be able to tell her for sure when she wakes up from her nap. Oh, and hey boy," he said absently, causing Alby to slump in MOMO's arms.

MOMO's eyes narrowed suspiciously, which was very incongruous on her open, friendly face. "Jr., how do you even know she's sleeping? I hate to sound like I'm about to, but it seems you know so much about Shion. Why is that?"

Jr. cleared his throat. "Look, she's on her own now, MOMO. She's pregnant, and she needs a friend. What's wrong with that? Now, about those clothes…" he said pointedly.

Lips pursed into a small line, MOMO turned her back on him and flounced off, the set of her shoulders indicating she was very unhappy about the way the conversation had gone. It took her quite some time to return, and Jr. began getting slightly antsy, afraid Shion would be waking up soon. If she came out of the women's cabin and MOMO saw her, he wouldn't be able to avert the inevitable. As he glanced toward the women's cabin door, he heard MOMO finally return. She told him quietly, "Melissa said she would be glad to send the clothes to Shion. Her taste in clothes seems to be something Shion would appreciate, so once she gathers them all up, we'll send them to you. I have to go now. Mommy and Ziggy need to talk to me." She reached out and ended the connection without giving Jr. a chance to even say goodbye.

Shrugging, Jr. returned to the cabin, knowing Shion would be stirring soon, if she hadn't awoken already. She only seemed to need small catnaps to recharge, but those small catnaps were becoming more frequent as her pregnancy progressed. He figured that by the time the baby was ready to make an appearance, Shion would spend much of the day sleeping or, at the very least, lying down. He stepped up onto the small landing where the beds were and found she was indeed awake, although it was clearly obvious she'd woken up just a few minutes ago. He sat down beside her, and she aimed a sleepy smile in his direction. "Feeling a little better?" he asked her softly.

She dropped her head to his shoulder, and his arm slid around her waist. This was a usual position for them as they talked. It spoke volumes of how comfortable they were with one another. "Yes, I feel better. What were you busy doing while I was passed out?" she questioned.

He hesitated. He hated to bring up the subject of MOMO, because he knew it was going to upset her. Sensing his hesitation, she lifted her head to gaze at him. He sighed, knowing he couldn't keep it from her. "I went to contact MOMO."

Immediately her green eyes darkened. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to do that? Jr., I'm sure she's totally confused by my silence. I can't keep staying away from her like this. I need to talk to her at least once, so she knows I'm not angry with her, because I'm sure that's what she's thinking!"

He took her chin in hand. There was something in his blue eyes that she couldn't quite read, but he was quick to establish what it was he was feeling. "Then let's go, Shion. You know I'm tired of keeping it from her. It's why I can barely stand to talk to her anymore. Looking at her reminds me that she doesn't know a damn thing about our relationship, or that the baby you're carrying is mine! I have no problem at all telling her everything!"

Shion's lower lip began to tremble. "No, we can't! It's not the right time for her to know yet, Jr.! I don't want to hurt her like that, and you know that!"

Jr. blew out a breath. "I **do **know that, and it's the exact reason why I'm keeping you away from her! If you talk to her and she discovers that I'm the father of that little one you're carrying, you'll be devastated by how she reacts. It's the only damn thing keeping me from telling her the truth! I won't be able to handle your tears, sweetheart." He pulled her into his arms and hauled her close to him. "I hate that we have to hide it, but for your sake, I will. You have no idea just how much power you have over me," he told her and captured her mouth in a fierce kiss.

She quickly gentled the kiss by bringing her arms up around his neck and sliding her fingers into the thick hair at the nape. When the kiss ended, both of them felt dizzy enough to need to hold tightly onto one another. After a few minutes, Shion said very quietly, "I won't ask to see her again, Jr. By doing so, I'm sending you mixed signals and that's not fair to you. I'm sorry."

He shook his head at her but didn't reply. He merely lifted a hand to stroke her silky hair and then kissed her forehead. After she'd laid her head upon his shoulder again, he finally spoke. "I know it's hard for you, and that you're worried about how she's feeling. There's nothing to be done for now, though, so I think it's best if we don't bring her up again. Is that all right with you?" He felt her sigh within his arms and then she nodded silently against his shoulder. He continued to hold her close for some time after.

Very early the next morning, Shelley was tossing and turning in the cot she'd put up in the gunroom. She was deep within the confines of a nightmare and unable to awaken from it. In it, she watched Dmitri Yuriev walk purposefully toward her. As was usual whenever he entered her dreams, he had his hand out to her. "Shelley, you must make a decision this time. You know you wish to come with me; you merely remain here due to your attachment to your sister. Let go of it, and join me."

Shelley backed away from him and her back hit the wall behind her. She shook her head rapidly. "No, I do not wish to go anywhere with you! I do not know why you seem to think I belong with you, but I have no desire whatsoever to take the hand you are offering. Please, just leave me alone!"

Yuriev came to a halt before her and placed his hands upon her shoulders. "Look beyond what your sisterly bond is telling you to say to me. What do you have here that's forcing you to remain? You've lost all relationships you had aboard the ship. You're merely looking in from the outside, my dear. Step away from it all, and come with me."

Shelley tried to escape his grasp, but he was holding her too tightly. "Let go of me!" she cried. "Why do you insist upon haunting me? I do not even know you, and I want you to leave and return Master Gaignun to me!"

Yuriev removed a hand from her shoulder and used it to cup her chin. "If you agree to come with me, my dear, I will indeed restore Nigredo to you. I need your word that you will give in with no resistance. I do not wish to be reduced to using force. It doesn't become me after all."

Shelley's defenses collapsed. The thought of once again seeing Gaignun swayed her, and she placed her hand in Yuriev's. "I will go with you," she said quietly. "You have what you desire."

His mocking laugh swirled about her as everything around her began to fade into darkness. "Shelley, my dear, you are so very easy to read," she heard just before she awoke with a scream she managed to choke back in time. She sat up in the cot, shaking. In all of her nightmares with Yuriev, she had never once gone with him. Now she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever known herself at all.

When everyone had gathered together later in the room the Professor and Scott shared, along with a now permanent Allen as well, the atmosphere was rather subdued. Shelley seemed very tense, and the three men were picking up on her mood in their own strange ways. The Professor was for once not yelling at everyone around him, Scott was off in a corner working in solitude, and Allen kept sneaking side glances at Shelley. He knew her well enough by now to recognize the signs that she'd had another one of her nightmares. He wanted to approach her, but the set of her shoulders was warning him it might not be such a good idea.

As usual, he decided to wait a bit of time to see if she would bring up the subject herself, although he doubted she would say a word. He wanted to give her that chance, though, rather than have her feel that he was somehow attacking her and forcing her to open up about something she didn't want to. Minutes soon turned into an hour, and finally Allen was forced to face the fact that he would need to somehow talk to her in a way that would come across as non-confrontational. He'd been working a distance from her, keeping an eye on her and seeing her become tenser as the time passed. Drawing a deep breath to calm his nerves and ready himself, he walked over to her and laid a hand upon her arm.

Shelley jumped, having obviously been lost in her own world enough to not have heard him approach. Her purple eyes met his blue ones, and in hers he saw an agony that scared him. He said to her very quietly, "Would you like to talk about whatever it is that's bothering you? I don't want you to think you have to, but I do want you to know I'm always here to listen."

She lowered her head quickly and gave it a quick shake. "No, Allen. I think it is best if I do not speak to anyone of it. Please do not think me rude, but the mere thought of discussing it frightens me."

He gave her a gentle smile. "Hey, I'd never think you were rude. In fact, I'd say you're far too considerate of other people's feelings. Something's bothering you, though, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of how it's affecting you. I don't think you should keep it bottled up, Shelley. Just know that I'll be right over there, if you feel the need to talk about it." He started to turn away, and then he felt her grasp his hand tightly.

When he turned back to her, she whispered, "Could we possibly go to my makeshift room where we will have no risk of being overheard?"

Seeing the desperation in her eyes, he didn't even think of declining but nodded quickly. "Of course. The Professor and Scott will be fine on their own for a while. I'm more worried about you, so come on."

They arrived at the gunroom, and Allen watched Shelley silently as she turned away from him and wrapped her arms around her waist. Things were definitely off with her, because even though he'd seen her emotional, he'd never seen her quite this emotional. She was making no effort to hide what she was feeling, which worried him even more. Knowing he couldn't rush her, though, he simply waited until she finally turned to him. Her face seemed weary now.

"You are aware of the nightmares I continually have. Last night, or early this morning, I fell asleep and began dreaming almost immediately. I have spoken to you of dreams I have had that contain Dmitri Yuriev. He appeared in this dream as well. He wished for me to come with him, but that happens every time. This dream was different, however, and it frightened me very much. It made me wonder if I even know who I am, Allen. I have never had cause to doubt myself, not even in the time that Mary and I were subjected to tests, mutations, and experimentation. Mary often said I was far too calm for what was happening to us."

Allen replied, "It may have helped you to deal by remaining that calm. And the fact that you had a little sister to look after might have helped as well. It may have even saved your life, by keeping you calm enough to survive everything they did to you." Shelley had once told him of the many experiments she and Mary had endured as children, and he had grown quietly furious at the thought that mere children could have the atrocities committed upon them that the two of them had. It had made him realize just how wrong he'd been to look down upon genetically-enhanced humans. Most of them hadn't asked to be different; it had been forced upon them without their consent.

Shelley made an assenting noise. "I do believe you are right in your thoughts, Allen. However, let us return to what we were speaking of. Avoiding this issue will benefit me not at all. I have avoided so much all of this time, and I think it has now converged upon me." A sparkle of tears showed in her eyes, but she blinked hard and it was gone quickly. "Yuriev, as always, put out his hand for me to take. I refused, and he took hold of my shoulders to make me see reason. I asked him to go and return Master Gaignun to me…" Here she faltered, as she always did when she spoke of Gaignun.

Allen took her hands, and she glanced at him in surprise. "It's okay, Shelley. You don't have to rush to tell me. I'm not going anywhere." He gave her another gentle smile, and she squeezed his hands lightly before allowing them to drop.

"He…he promised to restore Master Gaignun to me if I agreed to go with him. All I have ever wished for since I heard his voice as he left us was for there to be a way to bring him back. Allen, I…" She gazed at him in anguish. "I agreed to go with him! I was willing to leave all that I knew and loved for a chance to have Master Gaignun with me once again!" Tears began sliding down her cheeks, and she brought her hands to her face and spun away from him.

Torn between wanting to give her time to grieve and going to her to comfort her, Allen took a chance and laid his hand upon her shoulder. "Shelley, you loved Gaignun. I don't think anyone would blame you for wanting a chance to have him back. And if you don't mind my saying, it also seems as though something else is troubling you. Maybe it'd be best if you got it all out in the open?" He bit his lip, afraid of pushing her too hard.

She nodded jerkily. "I think the dreams are telling me something about Mary and my feelings for her as well. It seems as though I wish to be myself."

He was confused by what she'd said. "But you **are** yourself, Shelley. You're not anyone else. I think you lost me somewhere along the way."

She sighed and turned to face him again. "Mary and I have long been considered as nearly one entity. You cannot think of me without the thought of her, and that applies to her as well. I wish to break that part of our bond and simply be considered alone. I feel as though I am betraying her, despite our silence as of late. It is perhaps why I have been so harsh toward her. My guilt is driving me to be."

Allen shook his head. "There's no reason to feel guilty, Shelley. It's natural to want to be considered for yourself. It's just harder for you to think that way because of what you and Mary have been through together. It's going to take you time to be comfortable with that feeling of wanting to be yourself."

Shelley said in a quiet tone, "I know that you are right, Allen. I also know that for me to be comfortable with this feeling, I need to speak with certain people and relieve myself of the burdens I have placed upon myself. The thought nearly paralyzes me with fear, because it has been so very long since I have spoken to either of them."

He did an almost comic double-take. "Shelley, are you saying what I think you're saying? Does this mean you want to talk to…?"

It took her a minute to answer. When she did so, it was done haltingly. "Yes, it does indeed…mean I wish to speak with…Mary and also…Little Master. I cannot bring myself to approach either one of them, however. I have allowed so much time to pass. It is very possible neither has any desire to have a discussion with me. Perhaps that is for the best. I can only hurt Little Master with the things I am in need of saying to him."

Allen again took her hands in his. She didn't glance up in surprise, choosing instead to allow him to hold them for the time being. "Shelley, I think you need to talk to them. You need to start healing from all you've kept bottled up inside. You've been dealing with far too much, and it's time you thought about freeing yourself from it."

Shelley gently pulled her hands from his. "I cannot approach Little Master or Mary. As such, I fear I am destined to live with what I have wrought. Thank you for agreeing to listen to me, Allen. It means so very much. Now, we should return to the Professor and Scott. I am positive that without my aura of depression and tenseness, they have returned to their usual personalities and are near ready to kill one another." She set off through the doorway, leaving Allen to ponder possibilities for a moment before he hurried to catch up with her.

Toward what passed for evening aboard the Elsa, Jr. wasn't overwhelmingly pleased to realize he and Shion were on kitchen duty that night. He still needed to speak to Shion about the doctor aboard the Dämmerung, and he had to do so in a way that he wouldn't mention MOMO's name. He also needed to check to see if her maternity clothes had arrived via transportation, and then find out if they were to her liking. While he would have preferred to buy her brand new clothing, he was saving the money he had for something else. The Kukai name was also losing the influence it had once had with online vendors and such, so he needed to be careful of what he was spending. He heard Shion ascend the platform holding the beds, and he turned to face her.

"I take it that the clothes arrived then," he said, rather stupidly he felt. She was dressed in expensive-looking clothes that hid her gently swelling stomach. The shirt was longer and looser than what she normally wore, and the pants were made of a material that didn't cling to her as was usual. They flared slightly at the bottom. The overall effect was to make her look just as thin as she'd been before she'd become pregnant. He hoped that the fact that she was wearing the clothes was a good indication that she liked them.

"Captain Matthews brought them to me while you were busy at the lounge, I'm assuming having a drink or three." She eyed him suspiciously, and he gave her a slightly guilty grin. "Moving beyond your propensity for alcohol, where did you manage to get such beautiful clothes? They look brand new, but I know they're not. Is this what you contacted MOMO for then?" There was no look of sadness when she mentioned MOMO's name, so Jr. felt he was safe in answering honestly.

He nodded. "Luckily, there was a woman who had had a baby not too long ago in one of the groups MOMO picked up. She was willing to send you the clothes she had used, and damn, do you think she had enough?" He had just now taken in the clothing spread around the room. Obviously the woman and her husband had been very well-off. "Do you like everything? If not, I'll send it all back and we'll get you all brand new stuff."

She pulled on the hem of the mauve shirt she was wearing. "I can't say I'm thrilled with wearing clothes I'm not used to, but they are beautiful for what they are. You don't have to send them back." She made her way over to him, and he slid his arms around her waist. "But could I ask you just why you didn't get brand new clothes? I only ask because of your lavish spending habits," she teased.

"Unfortunately, I've had to cut back a little on my lavish spending habits," he sighed. "I have something in mind that I want to get, and it'll last far longer than your clothes. You're rarely in them anyway." He gave her a suggestive smirk, and she averted her face, a rampant blush spreading across it. Turning her face back toward him, he kissed her thoroughly and then decided he needed to quickly tell her of the doctor before they left to go and fix dinner for everyone.

She listened to him without making any comments of her own until he was done. "Do you think it'll be okay to do that, Jr.? I don't want MOMO to be around if he's going to be checking me over."

"I'm sure you'd just need to specify that to him. I have a feeling he might ask you if she can use her observational skills with you, but you'll just need to stand firm with him. I think it'd be a good thing if he checks you out as completely as he can over the monitor, just so we can be sure our little one is doing as well as she can be." He moved his hand between their bodies and slid it underneath her shirt to place against her lightly rounding stomach. He nuzzled her neck as he did so. "I'll have to get used to this," he mused. "Your other shirts weren't in the way at all." After a few minutes of kissing her senseless, he pulled back to say, "Damn kitchen duty. Let's get moving before I say to hell with it completely."

When they entered the lounge, they encountered Tony and Hammer relaxing in one of the booths. Tony groaned the instant he saw Jr. "Ah man, you know what this means, right?" he said to Hammer. "It's gonna be another curry night. Maybe we should talk to Allen and Shelley about setting up permanent places in the kitchen. The two of them are amazing when it comes to food."

Jr. pinned Tony with a heated glare. "Shut the hell up, Tony. You should feel damn lucky that Shion even taught me to make curry. I didn't know a damn thing about the kitchen before she took me under her wing. And don't say a freakin' word," he warned when Tony doubled over, laughing. He knew how Tony's mind could work, because his mind often worked the same way. The words "took me under her wing" had set both their minds on courses better left uncharted.

Shion, blissfully unaware of the perverted link running between her lover and the pilot of the ship, started off toward the kitchen. She came to a halt when she heard Tony call her name. At first, she thought she had imagined it. Tony had ignored her from the time she and Jr. had made their relationship known, so she couldn't think of why he'd wish to speak to her now. Shaking her head, she began walking again, only to be brought up short by Tony's voice, which had sounded more insistent than the previous time. She turned around to see him getting to his feet and heading toward her, Jr. close behind him.

Jr. took his place behind Shion, wrapping his arms snugly around her waist, noting that he couldn't hold her quite as snugly as before. Feeling his child's obvious presence put him in a rather benevolent state of mind, which would greatly benefit what Tony was about to say to Shion, who was looking at Tony a little strangely. "Tony, don't take this the wrong way, but you haven't spoken to me in months. So why now?"

Tony sighed heavily. "Look, I'm really damn sorry about that, Shion. In the beginning, it was because I was afraid of you breaking Little Master's heart and him getting all pissed off and taking it out on us. Not like that hasn't ever happened before," he said dryly with a look at Jr., who bit his lip and looked off to the side. "Then when I realized you two actually had a good relationship and would probably work out, I didn't know how the hell to approach you. So I stupidly just left it. When you walked in before, I just said to hell with it. I won't blame you if you don't want to ever talk to me again, but I wanted to let you know I'm an idiot and that I'm sorry for it."

Shion put out a hand, and Jr. released her from his embrace. While he wasn't thrilled with the silent treatment she'd been receiving from Tony and Hammer, he'd found it to be slightly more tolerable than Mary's outright viciousness where Shion was concerned. He watched as Shion took Tony's hand and said softly, "It's okay, Tony. I understand where you're coming from, especially with what I've learned about Jr. as we've gone along." Jr. coughed into his hand, and she turned her head to wrinkle her nose at him. "It means so much to me that you apologized, though. Thank you," she said, returning her gaze to Tony.

Hammer suddenly appeared at Tony's side. He looked at Shion guiltily. "Look, if the oaf can apologize, I can too. I was just as stupid as he was, especially when it was none of my business what happened between you and Allen." Seeing Jr.'s eyes flare at the mention of Allen's name, Hammer tried to avert the explosion of temper. "Anyway, you deserve to be with who you want to be with and who makes you happy. You shouldn't have idiots like me trying to guilt you into going back to someone you don't feel that way about. I'm really sorry, Shion."

Shion smiled and took him by the hand like she had Tony. "You were just trying to be a good friend to both me and Allen." She heard Jr. make a noise behind her, but she ignored him for the time being. "There's nothing wrong with that. Let's just put the past behind us and start all over, okay?" Tony and Hammer nodded, both of them grinning widely. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Jr. and I need to go and whip up some curry I just know you're going to love!" She grabbed Jr., who was trying poorly to hide the fact that he was annoyed, by the hand and together they set off toward the kitchen to the mingled groans of Tony and Hammer.

As they busily worked together, Shion noticed how quiet Jr. was being. This was a very rare occurrence, since Jr. hardly ever was quiet. The only time she could honestly say he was silent was when he was sleeping. Only if he was having a dream or nightmare, and those thankfully had diminished over the time they had been sharing a bed, he sometimes would talk in his sleep or cry out. So he was unnerving her with his continued silence, although she was well-aware of what was causing it. "Jr., are you okay?" she said hesitantly.

Jr. flung the curry on the plate angrily and then turned to face her. "No, and you know damn well that I'm not. I don't want to talk about it, Shion," he interrupted her as she began to speak. "The thought of him is enough to set me off, so I sure as hell don't want to discuss him." He started to walk out of the kitchen, his posture very stiff. A soft noise from Shion's direction brought him to a halt. Turning, he groaned, "No, don't cry, dammit. That's not fair." Setting the plate on the counter, he moved toward her and took her in his arms. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I wish to God I didn't feel the way I do, but I can't help it, sweetheart. I hope you don't hate me for it."

She didn't answer him but instead buried her face in his shoulder. He could feel her tears soaking into his shirt, and he hugged her tightly. He was wishing he'd kept his mouth shut, especially knowing how sensitive she could be due to the hormones. He rubbed her back comfortingly and used his other hand to wave to one of the droids to begin taking the food out to everyone. She snuggled into him as her crying began to taper off. "I know you're upset with him, Jr., for interfering in the situation with Shelley by coming to you and asking you to talk to her. It's just who he is. He hates to see conflict like that if he can somehow help. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone involved."

Jr. said quietly, "Shion, can we agree to disagree about him for now? I can't change how I feel about him. I'll stop being an idiot about it, though, or at least try to." He gently forced her to straighten up, and he brushed her hair back from her flushed face. "We'll give you a few minutes before going in to eat. One look at you and they'll all know you're in love with an idiot." Her teary smile caused him to cup her chin in his hand and kiss her softly. "I'm sorry I made you cry, sweetheart. You still love me?"

"It would take much more than a few minutes of stupidity to make me fall out of love with you, Gaignun Kukai Jr. And crying seems to be a normal thing for me lately. I cry when I take a shower, it feels like," she said with a small giggle. He kissed her again, wiped away a stray tear, and then he took her hand and set off for the lounge.


	16. A Sad And Bittersweet Conversation

**Author's note - **The chapters are becoming a little difficult for me, because they're getting more emotional. I come bearing two brand new chapters, and this first one I owe a huge thank you to Princess Artemis for going over and giving me helpful hints in certain spots. She's truly helped me to understand Allen much better than I did before, and I hope that comes across here. As for the second chapter, Jr. and Shion were giving me a massive problem, because Jr. reads Shion so well and also because he's so STUBBORN! Hopefully their conversation rings true. Happy reading!

A few days after his conversation with Shelley, Allen had hit upon what he thought was the perfect solution to her problem of approaching Jr. herself. He hadn't yet figured out a way when it came to Mary, but with Jr. being Shelley's major hurdle, he wanted that to be taken care of first if possible. He'd need the Elsa crew's assistance, though, if his plan stood any chance of working. He'd managed to sneak away from the Professor, Scott and Shelley with little questioning and was now stepping off the elevator warily. He was rarely upstairs anymore, unless it was for meals. Jr. tended to prowl the upper level while Shion was resting, and Allen had had a few run-ins with him, causing him to remain on the lower level as much as he possibly could. He glanced around but didn't see a hint of red hair anywhere in the vicinity. Giving a sigh of relief, he hurried off toward the bridge.

Heads turned toward him when the door closed behind him, or in the case of Matthews, lowered because his seat was in the air so he could observe what was happening in the space outside. Hammer was the first to speak up. "Hey, Allen. It's kinda rare to see you up here and on the bridge. Nothing bad going on, is there?" He eyed Allen rather suspiciously, and Allen was quick to shake his head.

"No, it's nothing like that. I just came up because I need a huge favor from all of you. Would you guys be willing to help me out?" Allen sounded unsure as he asked. He hadn't been spending much time around them as of late, so he couldn't say he'd be surprised if they refused.

Tony said with a laugh, "It depends on what the favor is. I mean, you don't think we're saying yes without knowing the terms, do you?"

Allen put a hand to the back of his head. "I really need to talk to Shion, and you know as well as I do that I won't be able to do that with Jr. present. Is there a way that you could keep him busy for a long enough time that I could have a decent conversation with her?"

Matthews lowered his chair to the floor. "What do ya need to talk to her about? I can't make no guarantees, but we could try keepin' him occupied for a while."

Allen sighed, not wanting to make Shelley's troubles public. He decided he'd say as little as possible but enough to earn their agreement to help. "I want to help out a friend, and I think Shion is a link to the way to do it. So can I count on you guys?"

They all glanced at one another and nodded. Matthews told him, "Yeah, no problem. You two up for a card game and some beer to go along with it? You know Little Master won't be able to say no to that one."

Allen said quickly, "Could I ask you to have the game in here, though? I'm going to need the lounge to talk to Shion, if that's okay."

Matthews waved him off. "Yeah, we got it. Hammer, you go and get Little Master, and Tony, you go and grab the beer. You," he said, addressing an amused Allen, "get outta here and keep an eye out. Once you see Little Master disappear through the door, go and grab the former Ms. Vector and have your little talk with her. Well, get movin'!" With a small laugh, Allen hurried off through the door to hide out for a bit.

Jr. looked back at Shion with a longing expression. Hammer had just finished telling him about the card game, and Jr.'s first instinct had been to follow him. He had managed to check it in time, but his body language spoke clearly that he wanted to go. Shion laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "Go," she said. "I'm quite capable of keeping myself occupied, and I know it's been a while since you've had the chance to gamble. Try not to lose a lot, okay?"

Jr. pulled her into his arms. "Hey, you are talking to the master gambler here. I don't lose, sweetheart, I take all." He gave her a very thorough kiss, which had Hammer averting his gaze with a cough. When he drew back, leaving Shion blushing madly, he said in a low tone meant for her ears only, "Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder, I've heard it said. You know what that means for us later, don't you?" Her gaze shot to his, and his eyelid came down in a wink. One last kiss, and Jr. left a reeling Shion in the doorway of the women's cabin.

Allen had been hiding out by the elevator that led down to the old E.S. hangar, keeping watch. Thankfully, Jr. was far too preoccupied with the upcoming card game to sense his presence, as he was busy asking why the game was taking place on the bridge. Allen heard Hammer respond that the captain and Tony were being lazy and didn't feel like walking to the lounge. Not long after, the door slid shut behind Jr. and Hammer, and Allen straightened up to see Shion heading toward the lounge. That worked much better for him. He'd hoped to stay away from the cabin if at all possible. While he could definitely say he'd moved beyond Shion, there was no questioning the fact that he would always love her in some shape or form. Because of that, he knew it was for the best that he wasn't being forced to look into the room she shared with Jr. Calling upon all of the nerve that he possessed, he called out, "Shion!"

She turned around, a confused look upon her face. "Allen?" she said, her tone questioning.

Knowing he had no way out now, Allen took a deep breath and made his way toward her. An awkwardness he'd never before known with her surfaced almost immediately. While there had been many a time that she'd pushed at him or even outright ignored him when he said things that weren't to her liking, they had always remained friends. Now there had been a long silence between them that needed to be bridged, and he was at a bit of a loss as to how to go about it. His hand slid to the back of his head, and he said without truly looking at her, "I know this is going to sound weird, especially after how long it's been since we've talked, but could we…possibly head into the lounge? You don't have to if you don't want to," he rushed to add, knowing how she could be if she felt she was being backed into a corner.

She was quiet for a few minutes, and he watched as she brought her hands to rest upon her stomach. He could read in the motion that her thoughts had turned toward Jr., and he prepared himself for her inevitable refusal. Her eyes lifted to his, and she gave a small nod. He felt his jaw drop, and he saw her smile slightly. "I can't say I'm busy at the moment, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious as to what this is about, Allen." She set off toward the lounge, and he had to fight an insane urge to laugh. Seeing her lead the way had made him realize that some things never changed, no matter the amount of time that passed.

Once they arrived at the lounge and Shion had taken a seat in one of the booths, Allen decided it was for the best, at least for now, if he continued to stand. The awkwardness was still an issue he needed to combat, and he needed to think up a way to initiate the conversation. After all, he'd approached her, and in a most un-Shion type of way, she was quietly and patiently waiting for him to begin. Thinking about it, he realized he couldn't come right out and ask her to speak to Jr. about talking to Shelley. Their friendship had suffered far too much damage for that. Before he could have gone to her and simply talked things over with her, but now he had to step carefully. He didn't like the feeling, at all.

He turned to her finally and gave her a small, embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but I guess you can say I'm feeling really ill at ease. I don't know what to say, now that I've got you here."

She leaned her elbows on the table as she stared back at him. "I'd try to help you out, but I guess you could say I'm feeling just as uncomfortable." Her eyes slid off to the side. "Things didn't end well between us, and as hard as it is for me to say this, I'm sitting here while carrying someone else's child. I can't say that I thought this would be how everything played out, Allen." Her voice sounded rather sad.

He heaved a sigh. "When I envisioned the future, Shion, I didn't see one where we were apart, to be honest. And never in my wildest dreams would I have seen you and Jr. together." He saw her eyes narrow, and he hurried to explain. "Look, please don't think I'm insulting anyone involved, okay? I only meant that it kinda came from left field, you know what I mean?"

She held up a hand, and he stumbled to a halt. "I wasn't getting angry, Allen. If I were honest with myself, which I've been trying really hard lately to do, I would completely agree with you. Jr. and I did come as a surprise to everyone, even to ourselves. I'm sure you didn't come here to talk about Jr. and me, though."

He brought his fingers to his eyes and rubbed at them wearily. "In a way, what I have to say has to do with Jr., but I'm thinking it's best if we don't rush right to that. I'd really like to talk some things over with you, if that's okay?"

She nodded, eyeing him a little strangely. "I'm wondering what you could have to say about Jr., but we do need to discuss other things first. How do we even begin, though?" she said softly.

He drew a deep breath and then blew it out. "Maybe we need to start with just why we've been avoiding each other and just get it out in the open." He waited for her to give some type of agreement and got it in the form of another short nod. "I think my reason is pretty evident, but it took me a long time to accept you with Jr. I know you didn't rush into the relationship with him, but you could have taken five years and it still would have hurt." His blue eyes darkened with emotion, and Shion made a soft noise of distress. That small sound had him rushing to the table to sit down and take her hand. Even after the amount of time that had passed, the thought of Shion being upset was something that didn't sit quite right with him. "Maybe this wasn't a good idea," he fretted.

Shion shook her head at him. "Allen, it all has to be said. No matter what happens after this, I think we both need to say how we truly feel and be rid of what we've been bottling up. I never really gave you that chance when I think about it. I thought that what I was doing was right at the time, for both of us, but in hindsight, I don't know that I truly considered how you felt."

He seemed to become agitated by her words. "I just don't think you need to hear about how I felt, not after all of this time. I don't see the good it can accomplish."

She squeezed his hand very lightly and then let go of it. Her green eyes seemed to bore into his blue ones, and he turned his head uncomfortably. "From the sound of that, I think you had feelings that I never considered. I'm sorry for that, Allen. I'm willing to listen now, for all the good it might do."

He sighed heavily. It took him a minute to gather his thoughts together enough to reply. He'd never thought the day would come where Shion would be willing to hear him out, even though now it wouldn't accomplish much. They had both moved in different directions, and neither was looking for a chance to renew their past relationship. If he was honest with himself, what he truly wanted was to have his friend back. He was simply afraid that with his confession, she'd never want to speak to him again. For the sake of truly moving beyond and moving forward, though, he needed to dig deep and unburden himself.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, you know," he said with a lopsided smile. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you've always had this knack for blocking me out when I said something you didn't want to hear." She bit her lip, refusing to publicly admit to the truth of the statement, but he saw acknowledgment in her eyes. "This very well might be one of those times, but I'm going to give it a go in the hope that possibly we can regain what we had before we ever tried to have a different kind of relationship." He paused for a moment after he'd said that, trying to gauge her reaction to his words.

She glanced up at him in surprise. "That sounds like you might be willing to give our friendship another chance, Allen. While I would like for that to happen myself, why would you want to open yourself up like that again?"

"Because we were friends first and foremost, and I don't think I could ever be okay with the way things ended if I just left it like that, Shion. I know you thought you were hurting me while we were together, what with what you saw as your strong personality, but you never did. I was content with the way things were. We worked well together, and we talked. That was something we had never done before. I'd have to say that I was lost when you came to me and said you thought it was for the best that we separate. When exactly did things start to get bad for you?"

She placed her chin on her hand in thought. "I think it was after we spoke of Kevin and how you weren't expecting me to move on right away. It almost felt like you were trapping me within that world I'd created with him. I didn't want that anymore, Allen. I wanted to move away from it, and I wanted to move away from it with you. Talking to you, though, didn't seem to get me anywhere. You were convinced I needed some amount of space, and the more I pushed you on it, the more you seemed to draw back. Why?"

Allen replied, his voice starting to tremble, "Because I wanted to be sure I was the only one in your heart, Shion. I knew how much you loved Kevin, and I wasn't about to compete with that. I had to be sure you were free of him completely. Pushing you to take a step you weren't ready for wasn't something I was willing to take a chance on. My God, you felt this way almost from the beginning then." He tried to ignore the small ache that caused him.

She lifted anguished eyes to meet his gaze. "I felt as though things wouldn't change. I knew you loved me, but I don't think you ever knew I loved you in return. And the more I tried to force you to realize it, the more you seemed to think I was stubbornly clinging to Kevin and telling you what you wanted to hear. Neither one of us was really listening to the other."

His eyes just as full of pain as hers, he knew he had to correct her misconception. "I knew you loved me, Shion, near the end. By that point, I think I knew it was already too late to do much of anything to stop the inevitable, though. If I'd told you, would it have made a difference?"

Shock rushed through her at his words. "Oh, Allen," she cried, "why didn't you say something? I honestly don't know that it would have made a difference at that point, but by not saying anything, it was like you never heard a word I said to you."

He dropped his head to his hands. His voice muffled, he said quietly, "It seems I picked up that bad habit from you somewhere along the way." He was slightly startled to hear her laugh and lifted his head quickly. "Did I say something funny?"

"I wasn't laughing at you, but more at myself. I guess I just realized how much I never listened, to anyone. You must have wanted to beat your head against the wall every time you spoke to me." She shook her head slowly.

Allen's grin was slow to start, but it managed to infect Shion, and soon they were both smiling. "Yeah, I'd have to say there were plenty of times when I wanted to. It was feeling I never really got used to. That's why I used to talk so loudly when I spoke to you. I thought maybe then you might actually hear me. It never seemed to work, though…" he mused.

She was the one to sigh this time. "Don't feel alone in that, Allen. Think of all of the people I just never listened to. People who knew better than I did, but I refused to admit it. I was just being stubborn and idiotic. It makes me feel sad that Jin isn't here to see me finally admit to being both stubborn and deaf to people who cared about me."

He told her softly, "I think he hears it, wherever he is now. I don't think he's given up watching over you. Big brothers don't give up that duty easily, especially when the big brother was as vigilant as he was." She gave him a teary smile in response. "I've honestly been thinking we might have tried to change our relationship at the wrong time. Our communication skills somehow never managed to make it up to par."

She pointed out, "You mean our listening skills. We could communicate just fine, but one or the other of us wasn't able to take certain things in at any given time. I'm sorry, Allen. In a way, I wish things could be different, but I think we've both moved on. There's no going back now."

He took hold of her hand again, and their eyes met. "The only thing that matters to me when it comes to you is your happiness. If you tell me that you're happy now, I won't look back on things with regret. I guess I'll know that it all happened for a reason."

She was quietly reflective for a time, and then she looked at him with clear eyes. "He makes me very happy, Allen. Yes, we fight and don't always get along, but we love one another. Loving each other doesn't always mean it will work out, but things just seem to click with him. He knows me and I know him, and we still love each other in the end. I have something the two of us created growing within me, a baby that was created out of that love." She saw his eyes lower, and she suddenly realized it might have been better if she hadn't spoken so plainly. "Oh, Allen, please forgive me for being so stupid! I shouldn't be sitting here, talking about this with you. Maybe I should get going. He'll be back soon, and for your sake, I don't want him to see us speaking."

He leaned his head back, his eyes closed. "No, I think it's for the best that you were so honest about your feelings, Shion. With your honesty, I can finally move on without feeling strangely guilty. Yeah, I know it makes no sense, but I stopped analyzing my feelings where you were concerned a long time ago. As for him returning, you don't need to worry about that. Trust me," he said with a slight laugh.

She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "You set up that whole card game, didn't you? I didn't know you had it in you, Allen."

He shrugged. "I really needed to talk to you, and I knew I wouldn't be able to with Jr. around." He tried to contain any bitterness he felt toward Jr. and his recent actions, knowing it wouldn't benefit him or Shion if she heard it within his voice. While he didn't hate Jr., saying he was happy with how he'd been treated of late would be a lie. It wasn't just for Shelley's sake, though, that he was willing to risk Jr.'s wrath if he were to find out about this conversation. Jr. was hurting too, and the part of him that made him inherently Allen wanted to see the conflict resolved for all involved.

Shion said softly, "I'm very sorry for how he's been acting toward you. I'm not making excuses for him, so please don't feel I am when I say this. He's dealing with so much right now, what with Shelley not talking to him and Mary driving everyone crazy with her obvious dislike of me. I think it hurts him to know that you're aware of why Shelley has been avoiding him, and she refuses to tell him when he's actually been involved from the start. The fact that it's you she told makes things that much worse."

Allen, who had started busily thinking of a way to speak to her about Shelley, breathed an internal sigh of relief. She had provided the perfect opportunity to do so. "Actually, I wanted to talk about Shelley with you. If you're willing to hear me out, that is."

She seemed a little confused, but she nodded. "While I don't have any idea why you'd need to talk about Shelley with me, I'm perfectly willing to listen to you. What is it you want to talk about?"

He said hesitantly, "I've been talking with her a lot about what's been going on. You know about the nightmares she's always having, right?" Shion nodded again, her eyes wide. "Well, they haven't gone away. In fact, I'd say they're becoming a whole lot worse, and they're really starting to scare her. The last one she spoke to me about seems to have convinced her that she needs to face some things. She wants to talk to Jr., but she's afraid to approach him. I know well enough that he won't approach her, but I was thinking that if you were to speak with him about it…"

She bit her lip and looked away. "Allen, I don't know. Jr. told me he tried to talk to her before, and she cut him dead. He's not one to invite that to happen to him again. Are you sure Shelley wouldn't come to him? It would make things a lot easier."

Allen rubbed at his temples wearily. "She's already told me point-blank that she can't approach him. She's too afraid of his reaction after the amount of avoiding she's done with him. I know he won't listen to a thing I have to say, because I've tried before. The only option we have left now is you."

She twisted her fingers together nervously, and Allen hated that he'd put her in the position she was in. He was about to say that she didn't need to worry about it when she finally spoke. "I'll try speaking to him, but I can't promise anything. This has to be something he wants to do, Allen. I can't force him into it. That won't help him or Shelley if he goes into it defensively. You'll need to give me a little time, though. Is that okay?"

He decided against putting his hand over hers again. There was still some awkwardness between them that hadn't been alleviated with their talk. That would only fade over time, and only if they continued to talk after the current conversation was over. He settled upon nodding. "Of course. If you're unable to convince him, that's fine. They have to both be ready, or the talk's doomed before it even starts." He got to his feet, and Shion as well, though she did so a bit more clumsily.

"Sorry," she said with a small laugh as she clutched at his arm. "It seems my balance has gone off-kilter lately." Her face became serious. "I'm glad we had this talk, Allen. I'd like to think it helped to get our friendship back on track." She gave him a nervous smile, and he watched her leave the lounge, feeling much lighter than he had when he'd entered.


	17. Listening Isn't Always His Strong Point

It wasn't very long after Shion had returned to the cabin and sat down upon the bed that the door opened again. She looked up and giggled to herself as Jr. entered the room. While he wasn't anywhere near drunk, he'd obviously imbibed more than was strictly necessary. He made a slightly weaving path over to her and collapsed on the bed beside her. He raised a hand and placed it on her hair. "I'da had a better time if you were there, sittin' on my lap," he told her, his speech pattern a little off. "I missed you."

She straightened in a mock-haughty fashion. "I see it didn't stop you from getting drunk. You couldn't have missed me all that much."

He shook his head in negation. "I'm not drunk, sweetheart. I'm just feelin' reeeally good right now. I wouldn't dare get drunk after what I said to you before I left. Bein' drunk woulda shot that all to hell, don'tcha think?" He pulled her into his lap and kissed her lingeringly. He drew back, and she dropped her head to his shoulder. "So, what were you busy doin' while I was gone?"

With her head on his shoulder, Jr. couldn't see the guilty look that crossed her face and then disappeared quickly. Not wanting to talk of that right then, she shifted the conversation back to him. "I was just in the lounge. So did you lose everything we have or what?"

He felt her trying to hide her giggling in his shoulder. "Hey, I'll have you know that I won ev'ry single hand. Hammer's not gettin' away with duckin' out on kitchen duty anymore because he'll be takin' a few of our turns, and Tony and Matthews were completely cleaned out. I'd feel bad about takin' what little money they had if they hadn't acted like asses over it. Besides, it's all goin' into that special stash I've got hidden away."

She lifted her head to gaze at him. "So what is that even going toward? You won't tell me, and it's driving me crazy! It's not very nice to drive the woman you love crazy, especially when she's pregnant and prone to hysterical fits."

He cupped her chin in his hand, shook his head at her very slowly, and then spoke very carefully. "It's not very nice to try and guilt me into saying. There will come a time when you'll know what it was for, but until then, you're just going to need to be patient. I know that's really damn difficult for you and all…" She pursed her lips at him and huffed, and with a grin, he covered her mouth with his again. "And since I'm not drunk and quite up to the task," he said huskily when they'd parted, "how about you show me how much you missed me?" Words weren't necessary after that, and it was made very clear through their actions and soft sounds that they'd missed one another very much.

A little while later, as Shion lay sleeping with her head on his chest, Jr. stroked her hair gently while he lay awake contemplating. He may have had a bit more to drink than he'd planned on, but that hadn't kept him from noticing that she'd been evasive when he'd asked her what she'd been doing while they were apart. He'd been too busy thinking about how much he'd missed her to stop and ask her at that point, though. Their time apart had made him realize that he honestly wasn't sure how he felt about her integrating back in with the others, because he'd become far too used to having her to himself over the time they'd been together. Pulling himself away from those wayward thoughts, he kissed her forehead softly and gave in to the sleep that was tugging at the edges of his consciousness.

Shion's eyes opened slowly, and she nestled back against Jr., who was radiating heat as though he wasn't fully undressed lying above the sheets in the rather cool cabin. His arms tightened around her, and she felt his head lower so he could nuzzle her neck. "Awake at last, I see," he murmured. "I even fell asleep after you and somehow managed to wake up before you."

Still not fully awake, she replied, "I don't know why I was so tired. Talking to someone isn't that exhausting…" Immediately after she'd spoken, she brought a hand to her mouth, but it was too late to recall the words Jr. had already heard.

Trying to lull her into relaxing enough to tell him who exactly she'd been speaking to, he nuzzled up her neck and nibbled at her ear. He heard her breath catch. After kissing the sensitive area behind that ear, he said quietly, "So who were you talking to, sweetheart?"

She closed her eyes in dread. She wasn't looking forward to telling him, but she didn't want to keep the truth from him, either. Taking a deep breath, she said in a very soft voice, "Allen." She felt him stiffen instantly. Turning in his arms, she saw that he had shut his blue eyes tightly. "Jr., please say something." She hated to sound as though she was begging, but this wasn't how she'd wanted to tell him, not at all.

His eyes opened, and he said very quietly, "What could you possibly have to say to him?"

Shion slid her arms around his neck, but he wouldn't look at her. She could feel him vibrating with suppressed anger, and she had no idea what to even say. She couldn't bring up the subject of Shelley, because Jr. wouldn't even bother listening. If he knew Allen was involved in the slightest way, he'd refuse entirely to speak with Shelley, and Shion wasn't about to let that happen. She missed Shelley, and if she could somehow talk to Jr. and have him see that he needed to talk things over with her, maybe she'd be able to regain Shelley's friendship. Most importantly, though, she wanted the two of them to have a chance to heal. While she didn't know what was wrong with Shelley, she knew her silence and avoidance had hurt Jr., and she would do whatever she could to stop him from continuing to hurt. She just didn't think that now, when he was already positively seething over knowing she'd spoken to Allen, was the time to approach him with what she and Allen had discussed.

"There's nothing for you to be angry over," she rushed to say. "We simply talked, Jr."

He disentangled her arms from around his neck with a look of total disbelief. "Nothing to be angry over? You having a conversation with your ex and keeping the details of it from me isn't grounds for me to be upset, Shion?" He sat up and folded his arms across his chest.

She sat up as well and then pinned him with an uncharacteristic glare. "And just what is that supposed to mean? I didn't realize that I was forbidden from having a conversation with him, and I'm not keeping the details a secret! We just talked is all!"

He returned her glare with equal heat. "I didn't realize that I needed to specifically tell you that you shouldn't be talking to him! Being in a relationship with me should have made it goddamn obvious!"

She stood up and presented him with her back. "Talking to you when you're like this is impossible. I'm getting dressed and then I'm heading to the lounge." She started to walk off, but his hand shot out to grab her by the wrist. She spun around, eyes blazing. "Let go of me!"

He sneered, "Why? So you can run off to Allen again?" Seeing her face crumple, he brought his free hand up to cover his eyes. "Oh, Jesus. I didn't mean that, Shion. I'm sorry." He sighed heavily. "Just don't leave, okay?"

She sat back down on the bed, pulling her wrist from Jr.'s hand so she could cover her face. Jr. moved so he could be beside her. Once he'd put his arm around her waist, she turned to him and buried her face in his shoulder. He simply held her for a while as she cried. Finally, she raised reddened eyes to meet his regretful gaze. "I know you didn't mean it. You know that I love you, and I won't leave you, not unless I'm forced to."

Jr. stiffened in shock and fear. "What do you mean?" he said, his voice betraying his emotions.

Shion said quietly, "I mean that if you're willing to throw away our relationship over the fact that I talked to Allen, then I'll be devastated, but it will be your choice. So I need to know. Are you willing to accept that I spoke with him and that our friendship might just possibly be on the mend, or are you going to tell me it's over because you refuse to accept that?"

Jr. took her chin in his hand and gently forced her to look at him. "Sweetheart, my whole world would collapse without you. Even though the thought of you talking to him is burning a hole deep inside me, I'll live with it to keep you with me. You mean far more to me than my irrational dislike of him." She flung her arms around his neck, tears already streaming down her cheeks, and there was silence for a time.

When they'd finally pulled away from one another, Shion touched his face gently. "Your dislike of him is not irrational. I understand exactly why you feel the way you do. You would naturally not be very happy with his presence due to the fact that I had a relationship with him. Add to that he somehow became involved in what's been going on between you and Shelley, and it makes perfect sense to me. I would never ask you to be friends with him. All I ask is that I be allowed to try to recover the friendship he and I once had. We've known each other for a long time, Jr., and…I miss him."

Jr. locked his arms around her waist and kissed her temple. "All right, I'll try not to be a jealous idiot when he's around. I know you love me and won't be going back to him. I'm going to be honest with you, though. I really don't see him approaching you when I'm anywhere near you. I think my dislike rolls off me in waves. I can't call a halt to that, not any time soon. Are you going to be okay with that?"

She snuggled into him, resting her head under his chin. "As long as you're okay with my talking to him when I'm not in your presence. Of course it's possible I may be jumping ahead here, because I'm not sure we'll talk again after the last conversation. I just wanted to prepare you in case we do. I don't want to hide things from you. Unlike you, who's still keeping a secret from me about what that money is for," she teased.

"I trust you," he said simply. "I'll be okay with you talking to him, although I do kinda like the idea that you're jumping the gun here. That would mean I wouldn't have to deal with it at all. But," he said hastily, feeling her shift in his embrace, "I'll deal if it does about. And no matter how many times you ask about where that money's going, you'll get the same response you always get." He shifted back so he could lower his mouth to her neck and kiss along it leisurely. She trembled and he gave a low laugh. "That would be me avoiding the question, sweetheart, like always."

Her arm slid around his neck even as she said, "One day soon, I'll catch you off-guard, you know." She allowed herself to be carried away by sensation for some time, and then thoughts of Shelley suddenly entered the haze of passion Jr. was weaving about her. "Wait, we need to talk," she told him with a hint of a moan.

Jr. shook his head and then continued kissing along her shoulder. He groaned when she pulled away from him. "Shion," he said sternly, "this had better be worth the discomfort I'm in."

She said softly, "I promise that it is. I need you to listen to me, though, so you need to focus."

He pulled her close to him again and settled his chin atop her head. "I focus better when I have you in my arms. All right, I'm listening."

She hadn't really taken the time to prepare how she was going to speak to him about Shelley. She didn't think it was a wise idea to tell him that one of the points of the conversation she and Allen had had was to speak to him about finally having a discussion with Shelley. If she led into this with Allen's involvement, she knew Jr. was still in a position to balk. While he'd accepted that her friendship with Allen might very well be recovering, she didn't think his goodwill would extend to one of the very things he was angry with Allen over. She bit her lip, and then he squeezed her around the waist gently. "I didn't fall asleep on you," she said with a bit of a laugh. "I've just been thinking on how to start."

"This must be something pretty big then," he said, sounding slightly confused. "You don't usually take so much time when you tell me we have to talk about something."

She said dryly, "That's because when I do, you take that time to distract me entirely, making me completely unable to remember what it was I needed to discuss with you. Don't you dare," she warned him when she heard him chuckle. "Okay, I think I've thought enough about how I'm going to tell you, so just listen and please don't say a word until I'm finished." He nodded against her head and she took a deep breath, readying herself for what she was about to say.

"You might think this is strange, but the other day I was walking past Shelley, and I had a thought come to me." She heard him make a noise as his arms tightened about her waist, but he kept silent. "I sensed something different in her, Jr. The two of you need to talk. It's been so long, and you're both having a hard time dealing. I have the feeling that she might just be willing to listen if you were to approach her this time. Do you think you could maybe try, just to see if I'm right?" She tried to duck her head, but she wasn't quick enough to avoid Jr. He turned her so that she sat sideways in his lap, and he could have a free view of her face.

"I didn't have to see your face to know you're not telling me the truth, Shion. Looking at it now, though, tells me that I was right. You can't hide things from me, and you know that. What the hell is this about?" He lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes, and she mentally curled in upon herself.

"There are times I hate that you can read me so well. Why can't I read you like that?" she cried.

"Because I have a helluva lot more practice at hiding my thoughts, due to the telepathic link I had with Gaignun. If I didn't keep my thoughts behind some sort of wall, he'd have ended up knowing things he either didn't want to or didn't need to. So if I don't want you to read something in me, you're not going to. You know me far better than just about anyone does, sweetheart, despite all that. Now stop avoiding the subject at hand, and tell me why you were lying to me in the first place." He raised an eyebrow at her, and she sighed.

"Because I want you to try talking to her. The both of you need to end this standoff, and just maybe she's ready to talk things out. If you go to her, I think she'd be willing to sit down and discuss things with you finally. It's a feeling I get." She looked at his face and saw he was eyeing her rather suspiciously. "Maybe it's just pregnancy hormones or something! I don't know. I just know somehow that she'd be willing if you approached her first. Stop looking at me like that!" she wailed.

When he tried to take hold of her chin a second time, she tucked it against her shoulder, refusing to look at him. "Shion, this would be much simpler if you'd stop dancing around the obvious truth you're withholding from me. You'd have to actually get close to Shelley to even get some kind of feeling from her, and I know she avoids you just as much as she does me. You've told me yourself that you tried talking to her, and she ended up walking away from you. After that, she sure as hell isn't going to let you get close again. I don't have a damn place to be, so I'm perfectly willing to sit here with you on my lap until you tell me what the hell prompted this."

She snuggled into his chest but remained silent. She was now at a complete loss as to how to avoid bringing Allen's name into the conversation. The instant she did so, she knew the cause was lost. Jr. would never agree, not with the knowledge that Allen had been the one to initiate everything. She heard Jr. say her name, but she simply covered her face with her hands. She wished that she'd never opened her mouth and spoken Shelley's name. _What am I supposed to do now?_ she thought miserably. _I have no idea what to say to him, and he's not going to let it go. How do I convince him that he needs to talk to Shelley so the both of them can stop hurting? I don't know what to do!_

Jr. nuzzled Shion's hair. He wasn't angry with her; he simply wanted to know what was going on in that head of hers. He didn't buy for a single second that she'd randomly thought he and Shelley just might be able to have a conversation finally as Shelley had sometime passed by her. There was something more involved, and he was determined to find out exactly what it was. "Talk to me, sweetheart. I won't be angry if you tell me what's going on in there." He kissed the top of her head, and she sniffled.

"Can't you please just accept that you need to talk to Shelley, and that she would be willing to talk to you now?" she said, a hint of desperation in her voice.

He shook his head, and she felt the motion above hers. "You know as well as I do that's not going to happen. What are you so afraid of saying to me? Maybe if you just said it, you'd feel better." When her shoulders began shaking, he at first thought she was laughing but then quickly realized she had started to cry. "Sweetheart, you're scaring me now. Whatever it is, I want you to tell me. I don't like what it's doing to you at all." He gathered her close and held her as her arms slid around his neck. She buried her face in the curve between his neck and shoulder.

After a few minutes, she drew a deep breath and moved so she could look into his eyes. The sadness in hers caused him to bring his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss. She said quietly when he'd pulled back, "Jr., I know Shelley is willing to talk to you now. She won't walk away from you, and she won't cut you dead. The reason I know this is because it's one of the things Allen and I talked about."

He stiffened instantly. "What did you just say?" he breathed.

She hugged him tighter around the neck to prevent him pulling away from her. "Please, please don't let that influence your decision! You need to talk to her, and she needs to talk to you!"

He said coldly, "I'm not talking to her just because **Allen** said she was willing." He spoke Allen's name with venom, and Shion could feel him trying to shift her arms from around his neck. "He doesn't belong coming to you and getting involved with any goddamn aspect of my personal life! It's freakin' bad enough that he's trying to insinuate himself back into your life, but now he thinks he's going to play the nice guy and get me and Shelley to talk too? That's crap, Shion, and you know it!"

She shook her head rapidly. "No, that's not what this is all about! I think he cares for Shelley, and he wants to see her have a chance to get whatever's bothering her out in the open. And if I know Allen the way I think I do, he'd want you to have that chance too, despite what's been happening between the two of you!"

His tone was bitter when he spoke again. "Yeah, we all know the wonderful guy Allen is. He never does a damn thing wrong, and he does everything for everyone else. No one is that selfless, Shion. I don't need his damn help, and I'm not talking to Shelley. I am, as of this moment, telling you to drop the damn subject. I don't want to hear another freakin' word about it, and I mean it, dammit!"

She tried to touch his face and he averted it from her. She said sadly, "You're refusing just because Allen is involved. Jr., that's not fair to you or to Shelley."

He turned his face back toward her immediately, his blue eyes full of fury. "Don't you talk to me about what's fair, Shion! Shelley hasn't spoken a damn word to me almost from the time the journey started! She hasn't given me a goddamn hint as to what the hell it was even over! I've tried talking to her, and she's cut me like it didn't even matter. Fair has no right to be entering this conversation, which is now over. Do you understand me?!" He took hold of her shoulders and glared at her.

Her eyes sparkling with tears, she said very softly, "I understand you. And please forgive me for what I'm about to do."

He gave her a highly suspicious look, which quickly turned to surprise as she pressed her hand against his chest. Despite his resistance, she managed to lower him to the bed. She straddled him, and his eyes met hers. She could see the knowledge of what she was going to do flooding them. "Shion, no," he said, his tone conveying he was clearly unhappy. Not much later, he was saying fuzzily, "Did I say no? I meant go ahead…" There was no more talking as Shion went about convincing him in the only other way she had at her disposal. He didn't put up any hint of a fight, either, preferring to give himself up to the sheer pleasure only Shion could bring him.

Quite a while later, his breathing still rather heavy, he told her, "That was fighting dirty, sweetheart."

She collapsed upon his chest, her breathing just as ragged. Taking a minute to recover, she finally spoke in a teasing voice. "I learned the art from the master, you know." Hearing him laugh quietly, she felt reassured. She'd been afraid he was going to end up even angrier with her afterward. "Most of all, though, I did it because I love you, and I want to see you stop hurting. I couldn't see any other way to get you to listen to me."

He rolled her off him and gathered her against his side. "Well, that is always guaranteed to get my attention," he said with a low laugh. He gently kissed her forehead. "I'll talk to her, for your sake, sweetheart."

She shook her head and stretched up a hand to touch his face. "No, I don't want you to do it for me. I want you to do it for yourself. As much as I care about Shelley as a friend, you are my number one priority in this. I want you to finally know what's going on. And no matter what happens during and after your conversation with her, know that I'll be there for you."

He nodded, but his eyes were distant. "Now that I know she'll actually talk to me, it's making me really nervous. I think that's why I went off on you the way I did. Do I really want to know after all this time?"

She noticed he had avoided any mention of Allen, and she felt it best to leave that subject alone for the time being. She knew it was still far from over, but getting him through speaking with Shelley had to come first. Snuggling into his side, she whispered, "I think you'll be better off once you know. I have a feeling it's going to hurt the both of you, but in the end, you'll both be much more free than you were before. I just don't want you to hurt anymore."

He brushed a piece of hair from her face and then kissed her softly. "I love you, sweetheart. Probably more than you'll ever know." They cuddled for a little bit, and then Shion's stomach growled. Jr. chuckled. "What do you say to us getting dressed and checking out the meal situation?"

They hurriedly got dressed, and Jr. walked toward Shion, shrugging on his duster jacket. She gave him a strange look. "Jr., there's something not quite right, but I haven't figured out what it is yet. Could you turn around for a minute?"

He lifted a shoulder in a shrug and turned his back to her. Glancing over his shoulder, he joked, "I don't think you need to check out my ass. Haven't you seen it enough?"

She blushed and waved his words off. "Now I see what the problem is! You had another one of your weird growth spurts, and you've grown about another three inches! Your coat is getting too short for you because of it. I guess we'll have to find you another one."

His eyes widened in shock. "The hell we will! This is the first damn gift you ever gave me, and I am sure as hell not giving it up! I'll just have it altered so I can keep wearing it. I love this damn jacket far too much to part with it, sweetheart. Kinda like I see you never part with that necklace I gave you for your birthday."

She lifted her hand to her throat to press it against the necklace lying there. "You know I never take this off. Not even when I'm furious with you. Which does seem to be happening a lot less, I think."

He pulled her into his embrace. "I think we're just getting over our fights faster now. That's a good thing, though." He kissed her smiling lips, and then he took hold of her hand and led her out of the cabin in the direction of the lounge.


	18. No More Keeping Secrets

**Author's note - **This is a lengthy chapter, but I didn't feel right splitting this one. I'm hoping you all understand about that. Anyway, this chapter was again hard to write because of the conversation Jr. and Shelley have. Hopefully the emotion is just right in it. Oh and I'd like to thank new reader Kait for her helpful criticism (I'll try to work on that!) Knowing that my story is keeping everyone interested is so much more than I could ask for. Thank you so much for the reviews, and please keep them coming!

Later on that night, Jr. was unable to fall asleep, something that happened much less often now. Shion was peacefully sleeping in his embrace, and he was distractedly stroking her hair as he thought about what they'd talked about earlier. Thinking of Shelley caused butterflies to flit about nervously in his stomach. He wouldn't renege on his promise to Shion to speak to Shelley, but he knew he was going to be nervous and uncomfortable until it was over with. _May I ask you a question, Rubedo?_ Jr. nearly jumped out of his skin, shifting Shion and causing her to mumble softly and snuggle her head into his neck. "Albedo?!" he hissed.

_Have you forgotten the sound of my mental voice already? I am most distressed. While I do admit to not having had our usual midnight chat lately, you should not be able to put your other half from your mind quite so easily._ Albedo was haughty as usual, and Jr. rolled his eyes but kept his voice down for fear of waking Shion, or possibly even Mary. He doubted the latter would happen, especially with how deeply Mary slept, but he didn't need to add to the list of problems he had with her. "Lately? I haven't heard from you in months! The last time you spoke to me was before I moved into this cabin! Where the hell have you been?" For a second, he thought Albedo wasn't going to answer, but then Albedo had always been one for surprises.

_I do regret that, Rubedo, but when there is very little to say, there isn't much sense in my making an appearance, now is there? I have been sleeping for the time I've been missing. It's something I've become quite accustomed to since Nigredo saw fit to grant my true wish. I do recall being told that if I had nothing nice to say, I should say nothing at all. I have simply been heeding your words, like the good brother I am._ Jr. gritted his teeth to keep from making a scathing reply. He was aware that Albedo was looking to bait him, and he wasn't going to allow him to do so. He had more than enough going through his head without adding Albedo's taunting to it.

"I asked you to keep the kinds of comments you were making to yourself. I didn't tell you to go into hiding. Is it so much to ask that you just accept Shion as part of my life and when our daughter is born, for you to do the same with her?" Albedo sighed heavily. _Rubedo, I am not fond of sharing, and you have always known this. Add to that the fact that I do not particularly care for the princess, not after her actions toward you where Red was concerned. I may have been sleeping at the time it happened, but with our sharing the same body, I can read things in you that you only think you've hidden away. Seeing this within you has caused me to ponder upon just why you care for her as you do. She was willing to abandon everything she knew for Red. It was not even your words that reached her in the end._

Jr. narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I'm not aware of that? The important thing to me is that she's with me now." His tone made it clear that he didn't like the line of thought being pursued, and Albedo decided that this time it was wiser to avert the rising anger in his twin. He instead chose to point out, _I can sense the disquiet in you, Rubedo. Beyond the anger, I see the fear you're holding regarding this discussion you have promised the princess you would have. Why allow her to force you into agreement if you fear it so much?_ Jr. glanced down at Shion, whose mouth was slightly open as she breathed quietly. He lifted a hand to caress her cheek softly. "Because I love her, Albedo. She means everything to me, and she wants to see me through this. She knows I have to talk to Shelley, no matter how much I'd like to avoid it. Avoiding it hasn't helped up to this point, so confronting it has to do something. I just want it over with now."

_If this is what loving someone brings, I am most grateful I did not have the ability to understand it. Tying yourself into knots to bring happiness to another is not something I would wish to experience. Caring for you the way I do has me more confused than I wish to deal with at any given time, and I would not endeavor to add upon that. Good night, Rubedo. I do hope sleep doesn't continue to elude you for the rest of the night._ Jr. felt Albedo's consciousness withdraw, and he sighed to himself. He didn't know how to talk to Albedo anymore, and Albedo never stayed long enough for him to even say much of anything. He hated feeling this way, but without Albedo consenting to give him more than a few minutes every few months, things were never going to change. He turned onto his side to gently pull Shion close to him and closed his eyes as he rested his head next to hers, praying for sleep to arrive.

Shion awoke sometime the next morning to see a close-up of Jr.'s chest. She could tell from his deep, even breathing that he was fast asleep, and she supposed now was as good a time as any to inform Allen of what Jr.'s decision had been. She was wary of allowing Jr. to see her speaking with Allen any time soon. He may have given in to talking things over with Shelley, but she knew very well that his ire at Allen had escalated yet again with Allen's interference. She slid out of his embrace and dropped a kiss on his cheek before hurrying off to take a quick shower. Once done, she quietly dressed and disappeared from the cabin to search down Allen.

Peeking into the lounge, she saw that she had apparently missed breakfast. Her stomach rumbled at her, and she placed a hand over it. "Just give me a little bit, baby. Once I talk to Allen, I promise Mommy will have some breakfast. Can you hold out until then?" She felt a small fluttering from within, and she placed both hands over the gentle swelling of her stomach with a loving smile. "Okay, let's take ourselves off so we can get this done and get some food in us." She hurried toward the elevator, knowing where Allen would be at that point.

Shelley glanced up to see Shion standing in the doorway. She nudged Allen gently, and he lifted his head to look in the direction she was indicating. His eyebrows drew together slightly, but he gave Shelley a smile and then walked over to Shion. "I wasn't expecting to see you quite so soon, to tell you the truth. What's going on?"

She indicated with her head that she wanted him to follow her. He did so silently. She turned back and gave him a hesitant smile. "I didn't know if you'd spoken to Shelley about what we talked about or not, so I didn't want to say anything in front of her. I spoke to Jr. yesterday."

He cringed, almost afraid to hear what had happened. "I'm surprised you talked to him about it already. I was thinking you'd lead up to it somehow, but you know how to deal with him best. Do I dare to ask how it went?"

She sighed. "It wasn't going well at first. He refused to speak to her once he knew you were involved."

Allen brought his hand to his forehead. "Shion, could I ask a serious question? I'm more than aware of Jr.'s feelings toward me, and since the two of you are in a relationship, I'm reasonably sure you would be too. Knowing this, why would you bring my name into the conversation to convince him?"

Shion cried, "Do you think I didn't try everything I could to convince him before that? Allen, he reads me like one of those old books of his! Every time I tried to convince him without telling him of our discussion, he knew I was dodging him. So I had no choice. Once he knew, he outright refused to hear of talking to Shelley."

He nodded and heaved a sigh. "Well, it's not like I expected him to agree to it anyway. I was just hoping for Shelley's sake that he would."

She brought her hand up to halt him. "You didn't let me finish, Allen. Jr. may have refused to begin with, but he's given in now." He shot her a confused glance, and she ducked her head as she spoke. "I managed to convince him that it would be smarter to talk to Shelley, so all you need to do is let her know. Then once she's decided on when she wants to talk with Jr., you can tell me and I'll make sure he's there."

He had no need to ask of how she'd managed to convince Jr. The ducking of the head and the blush that had crept over her face were clues enough. Avoiding that subject, he simply said, "I'll be sure to let her know. Thanks for doing this, Shion. It's something Shelley really needs if she's ever going to move on."

Shion suddenly eyed him with growing realization. "Allen, you care for her, don't you? I can hear it in your voice when you speak about her."

Red stole across Allen's cheeks this time, and he averted his face. "I just don't want to see her hurting anymore, Shion. If I can do anything to help her, I will. Seeing her in the agony she's been in hasn't been an easy thing to deal with. I know Jr. holds the key to allowing her to break free of it, and I'm just glad he's agreed to do this. I know it'll help him too."

She smiled softly at him. "I hope for both your sakes that everything goes well with their discussion then. I'll see you later, Allen. Right now, me and the little one are starving." She rubbed her stomach gently, and Allen watched her thoughtfully as she headed back down the hallway toward the elevator.

He returned to the room and found Shelley awaiting his return. She was eyeing him a little suspiciously, and he gave her a small smile. He was happy to be able to give her good news, but first he had to hope that she wouldn't be angry that he'd gone ahead without her permission and spoken to Shion. He hadn't wanted to get her hopes up in case Jr. had refused, because he felt that would be the last thing she needed. "Hey, could we possibly go and talk?"

The Professor, angered at the fact that two of his three assistants were planning on disappearing, squawked, "And just where do you the two of you think you're going? It's bad enough that Arrogant One's girly came down and stole you, Assistant #2, but now you're trying to steal Assistant Lavender? We've got far too much work to do for you to be going off for secret snuggles!" He bounced up and down in frustration.

Allen's face turned beet red, and Shelley's eyebrows lifted to the point where they disappeared into her bangs. "Professor," she said in a dignified tone, "Allen and I are not leaving in the pursuit of 'secret snuggles.' He has something he wishes to tell me, from the look upon his face before you caused him such embarrassment, and we will return quickly. There is no cause for alarm." She turned on her heel and gracefully left the room, and Allen followed after her, his hand covering his mouth to hide his grin from the Professor. Once they'd entered her room, she faced him with just one eyebrow lifted. "What is it you wish to tell me, Allen?"

He drew a breath. Now that the time had arrived to tell her, he was beginning to seriously wonder if he'd made the right choice. _What if she ends up getting really angry because I took matters into my own hands?_ he wondered. _She'll never trust me again, that's for sure. I don't think I'd handle that well, either. No sense in trying to keep it from her now, though. Allen, you'd better just tell her and get it over with._ "I'm hoping you're not going to want to kill me when you find out what I've done." He picked at the sleeve of his forest-green sweater, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his neck. Her thoughts and feelings had come to mean so much to him over the course of their friendship, and over the last few weeks he'd found himself thinking of her in not just strictly terms of friendship. While he'd been more than a little surprised Shion had picked up on it, he didn't want to think he was going around wearing his heart on his sleeve yet again. That hadn't served him overly well when it had applied to Shion, and he could safely say that Shelley was far more observant. If she were to pick up on what he'd been feeling lately, it might cause her to put up her defenses again. That was the last thing he wanted.

Shelley said with a bit of a laugh in her voice, "Is there a need for me to pry it from you? I do somehow doubt I will want to kill you, Allen. I know you more than well enough to say that you only ever act in what you consider to be someone's best interest. So please do not be afraid to tell me."

He nodded and then just decided it was best to hurry and get it over with. If there was going to be killing, he'd much rather it happened quickly. "Okay, you remember when we spoke of you talking to Jr., right?" She nodded slightly. "You told me that you wouldn't be able to approach him because you were afraid of his reaction. Well, I took it out of your hands. I went to Shion and asked her to talk to Jr. and see if he was willing to sit down and have a discussion with you," he said a rush, the words tumbling over one another.

It took Shelley a moment to decipher his words. He watched her face apprehensively for a time, and then she gave him a look he couldn't describe. "From peeling apart the words you bound together in your haste to say them, I am given to assume that you asked Shion to speak with Little Master. Is that correct?"

He nodded quickly. "Yeah. That's what she came down here for. She wanted to let me know that he had agreed to talking things over with you. Are you still willing to speak with him?"

She lifted her head slightly to stare off with her eyes distant. "I would be untruthful if I were to say I did not expect this from you, Allen." He stiffened and was on the verge of saying something when she continued on. "I think that may be why I spoke to you of it. You are such a caring person, and you could not have allowed things to remain as they were once I spoke of my desire to have a discussion with Little Master. Please do not think ill of me, for I do not want you to believe that I was simply using you. I value your friendship far too much, and I do hope you realize that."

Allen moved the few steps forward to take her hands in his. "You know very well that I could never think like that about you. I understand why you did what you did, and it actually makes me feel relieved that I wasn't doing something that went against what you wanted. Could you just do me a favor next time, though?" he asked with a grin. Her eyes crinkled with amusement, since she knew what he was about to say. "Tell me so I'm not worrying to death that I'm stepping out of bounds, okay?"

She squeezed his hands gently. "While I hope there is not a next time, I will be sure to do so. I am very sorry that I caused you to worry that I would be angry. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing as you did. Now, I wish to know if you were able to speak of things with Shion that you needed to. I would hate to think that you only approached her on my behalf, and were not able to do so for yourself as well."

He decided not to pin her down right then about her lack of an answer in speaking to Jr. and instead answered her about his conversation with Shion. "I took advantage of the opportunity to talk to her about what had happened between us. She seemed to be open to the idea, so I wasn't about to let it slide by without giving it a chance. It seems the both of us weren't listening in the end." He shook his head somewhat regretfully and then shrugged. "She told me that she knew I loved her, but by the time she knew it, things were just in too much of downward spiral for it to do much of anything. I wasn't listening to her when she was telling me she was ready to move on, because I was too worried about always coming second to Kevin. I told her that it looked like we just weren't destined to change our relationship at that point in time. As long as I can regain her friendship, though, I don't think I'll have any regrets about how it turned out."

Shelley raised an eyebrow at that. "That is not correct, and you well know it, Allen. Everyone has regrets over certain things in their lives, and you would in particular due to your feelings about Shion."

He laughed. "Let me rephrase it then, since it was a little awkward. What I really meant was that I won't have huge regrets that keep me from moving forward. Yeah, I regret that it didn't work out, and I'll always love her. She was everything to me for so long that there are times it feels strange not to be watching her every move and trying to determine what it all means. When we talked, she told me she's happy with him, and I can't ask for anything else for her. Now I'd like to see someone I consider a very good friend have a chance to be happy too. So will you talk to Jr. now that I've managed to get things moving?" he teased.

She brought her hands together and began twisting her fingers nervously. "I will not change my mind, Allen, but I confess to being overwhelmed with anxiety. I do not wish to hurt him, but it is an unfortunate thing that I will have to in my quest to rid myself of my burdens. I only hope that somehow, in the end, he will find it in his heart to understand what I have dealt with and be receptive to starting anew. Knowing Little Master as I do, it can very easily go either way."

Allen said quietly, "With Shion there to help him, I bet he'll find a way to. And if you need my help afterward, you know that I'll be there." She gave him a very soft smile and reached out her hand to grasp his. She said nothing, but he could hear her silent thank you. "Now we just need to bring you two together and get this conversation going. I'll let Shion know tonight at dinner that you're ready, and we'll go from there. What do you say to having your meeting with him sometime tomorrow?"

Shelley nodded decisively. "The sooner we are able to speak, the sooner we can possibly begin again. I am quite positive that Little Master is eager to, as he tends to put it, 'get it all the hell over with.' He is very blunt," she said in response to Allen's shocked face.

He waved a hand with a laugh. "You're not telling me something I didn't already know, Shelley. I just don't think I've ever heard you speak like that, even if it was just a copy of Jr."

She laughed. "Working with Little Master as I did, I picked up quite a few of his colorful expressions. I often wondered just how he was able to fool so many into thinking he was a child. The only possible way was for him never to have spoken at all, but with how he does love to hear himself speak, I find it not very possible at all."

Allen tried to contain his laughter but was unsuccessful. When he was finally able to draw enough breath, he told her, "The truthfulness of that statement can't be disputed. You know, I really hope I never get on your bad side. Although you have such a great way with words, I might not know I was being sliced to ribbons until long after it had happened." Shelley shot him an innocent look, and then they set off warily toward the workroom, where the Professor's and Scott's voices could already be heard yelling in anger.

Upstairs in the lounge, Shion was just finishing up her breakfast when the door slid open. She leaned back with a sigh and placed both hands over her stomach. "I hope you're as full as I am, baby. I think I ate too much, but my appetite has been voracious ever since the morning sickness let up." She felt a presence behind her and then a kiss was dropped on the top of her head. "Hello, Jr.," she said softly, lifting up her hand and touching his face briefly.

He came around and sat beside her in the booth. "I was missing you something fierce when I woke up," he said, sliding his arm around her waist and dragging her close to him. "I'm not used to waking up without you in my arms."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I just wanted to let him know of your decision. You were sleeping well, and I didn't want to disturb you."

He made a dismissive noise at the subtle mention of Allen. "Yeah, well, I'd like to get it all the hell over with. So let's hope Shelley's as eager as I am to have this damn talk. I was awake all last night thinking about it."

Shion said quietly, "You could have woken me up, and I'd have kept you company. I hate to think of you dwelling on this without me there to cheer you up."

He kissed her forehead. "You need your rest, so I'm not about to wake you up for something crazy. Did…he…happen to mention a time or anything that Shelley might want to talk to me?"

She sighed. "Jr., he has a name. I know very well that you're unhappy with him right now, but you did say you were going to at least try."

He snapped, "Unhappy doesn't even begin to describe it, Shion. I said that before you told me he was busy messing around with my life, yet again, and I don't think I should be held to it at the moment."

She lifted her head to stare into his mutinous face. "Jr., he didn't do it with the intention of hurting you. You know that as well as I do."

He tapped the fingers of his free hand on the table. "Every damn time I think I might be starting to hate him less, he has to involve himself in some aspect of my life that he doesn't need to. What's going on between me and Shelley wasn't something I wanted him trying to help with. It was my own damn problem, Shion, and how I chose to deal with it was my business."

She pursed her lips at him in frustration. "You weren't dealing with it at all! You accuse me of not dealing with what's going on with Mary, but that's the pot calling the kettle black, you know! So stop being so stubborn and just accept that Allen actually did something kind!"

He opened his mouth for a blistering reply, but then he caught sight of her face, angry color rising high in it. "I'm not fighting with you over Allen, Shion. Let me get the talk with Shelley over and done with, and then you can go up one side and down the other if it makes you happy. I can't deal with all this crap at once!" He removed his arm from her waist and dropped his face to his hands.

Shion slid her arms around his shoulders. "You're right. You have enough going on right now, so we'll speak of it later. I'm sorry," she whispered in his ear.

He turned and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her fiercely. She made a small noise in the back of her throat and leaned into him. His hands slid under her shirt, and she jumped. "I don't want you to apologize for it, sweetheart. I know you're right about him, but you've got to give me some time to deal with all my feelings regarding him. Remember, it's going to take me a while, okay?" Before she could answer, he brought his mouth to her neck to press tiny, nipping kisses along it. "Hey, I just realized that I have my breakfast, right in front of me," he said with a hint of a growl. Before Shion could do much more than glance at him, he'd shifted her so she was on his lap. He didn't give her a chance to refuse, and with a few well-placed touches, the thought left her head in a hurry.

Both of them were so involved, they never heard the lounge door slide open again. Tony was on his way to grab beers for the Captain and himself, and he at first just thought Jr. and Shion were busy eating. As he drew closer, the sounds caught his attention and his eyes widened. "No way," he whispered to himself. Unwillingly turning his head, he noticed Shion was turned the wrong way to be eating, and then he took in the way she was moving. "Oh, Jesus," he cried softly and, forgetting the beers, rushed out of the lounge toward the bridge. When he arrived back there, Matthews and Hammer both turned to him as he leaned back against the door, his face red and sweaty.

Hammer raised his eyebrows at Tony's appearance. "What's wrong with you? You look shell-shocked or something."

Tony brought a hand up to cover his face. "I don't want to talk about it."

Matthews lowered his chair and said huffily, "Hey, where're the damn beers?! I'm dyin' for a drink!"

Tony shook his head and made a noise behind his hand. "I wasn't staying to get beers after that, Captain. The Little Master and Shion…"

Matthews nodded his head in understanding. "You can leave it right there, Tony. Just get in your seat and we'll go on like it never happened." He lifted his seat back into the air, and without another word, Tony headed toward his pilot's seat and sat down, looking a bit worse for the wear.

The next afternoon, the time for the discussion between Jr. and Shelley had finally arrived, and Allen and Shelley were heading up in the elevator for the lounge. Allen was more than a little worried about Shelley. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? I'll wait outside if you need me to."

Shelley smiled nervously at him. "I would very much appreciate that, Allen. While Little Master and I need to have this conversation alone, the knowledge that a friendly face will be awaiting me when it is finished will be a great comfort to me." They arrived on the upper level and stepped out of the elevator. They quickly made their way toward the lounge and stopped in front of the door. Shelley turned to Allen and placed a hand on his arm. "Thank you for doing what you have done." With those words, she disappeared into the lounge.

In the cabin, Jr. was pacing restlessly. He was waiting for Shion to finish getting dressed, because he wasn't about to set foot out of the room without her by his side. He was nearly going crazy from the anxiety coursing through him, and it was almost enough for him to call off the entire thing. He felt Shion touch his arm gently, and he turned to her and pulled her close to him desperately. "I don't think I can do this, Shion," he told her, a plea in his voice.

She slid her arms around his neck and said softly, "I know you more than well enough to believe you can. I also know you're scared, Jr., but this is something you need to do. Once you get it over with, you won't have to worry anymore."

He bit his lip before nodding. "All right, but let's go before I change my mind." He gave her a quick kiss, grabbed hold of her hand tightly, and pulled her with him out of the room. They reached the lounge, and he turned to Shion, ignoring Allen standing off to the side. "You sure I can't just duck the hell out of this?"

She shook her head at him and lifted her hand to press against his cheek. "If you want me to, I'll go in with you as moral support. Although I believe that this is something you and Shelley need to work out on your own, I'll do that if it's what you need."

Shion's words seemed to calm him down enough that he was able to shake his head back at her. "Thanks, but you're right. It's something I have to do on my own, sweetheart. I'll see you when it's all done." He kissed her gently and then walked stiffly into the lounge.

Shion glanced toward Allen, whose nervousness was flowing outward and infecting her. "Allen, please calm down. While I'm sure this will be difficult for both of them, it'll be okay in the end."

Allen turned to her, his blue eyes slightly panicked. "Shion, you can say that because you don't know what Shelley needs to talk to Jr. about. I do, and while Jr. and I aren't on the best of terms right now, I don't want to see him hurt like he's going to be."

Shion took hold of his arm. "You need to tell me what's going to happen in there then. I knew it would hurt Jr. before he went into it, but you're scaring me now."

He brought his hand to his forehead. "It's not my place to say. I'm sorry about that, but it's not my pain to share, Shion. I just think you need to know that you're going to have to be there for him afterward."

She placed her hands upon her stomach gently. "You don't have to worry about that. I just hope he'll be okay. He's nervous enough as it is, Allen, and no matter what I did or said, he's walking into it defensively." Allen watched her eyes go to the lounge door, and he hated seeing the pain she felt for Jr. reflected in them. He wished he could do something, but he was forced to stand there, unable to say a word.

Jr. walked forward into the lounge, hands stuck in the pockets of his jeans. His shoulders were hunched inward, like a protective barrier against whatever was coming. His mind was screaming at him to turn back around and forget about having any kind of conversation with Shelley. That was when he heard, "Hello, Little Master." Shelley's soft voice cut through him like a knife, being that he hadn't heard it directed at him in so many months. He turned her way slowly, biting his lip against the instinctual pain that welled up in him.

"It would seem that I have not looked at you in quite some time," she said when their eyes met. "You appear to have grown quite a bit over the last few months."

He nodded jerkily. "Yeah." He couldn't think of anything else to say. The screaming in his head had grown even louder, and he began to back away from her. "I can't do this, Shelley!" he cried, turned and started to hurry off.

"Little Master, please do not leave!" she pleaded. He came to a halt but didn't turn back to her. "I know this is difficult for you, but for both our sakes, we need to have this conversation. I do not wish to keep dwelling in the past, and I do not want to continue causing you the hurt I have been. Please, please stay here and listen to what I have to say." He drew a deep breath and managed to force himself to turn her way. He was about to say something when he saw the tears in her purple eyes. "Oh, Little Master, if I could do something to save you from the pain I am about to cause you, I would do it. You might not believe me, due to how I have assiduously avoided you and caused pain due to that, but it is the truth."

Hearing that she was about to somehow cause him more pain did not set Jr. at ease, at all. He began shaking his head. "If that's supposed to make me want to stick around, Shelley, it's really having the opposite effect. Honestly, I've had more than enough hurt coming from your direction to last me for a good, long while."

She said quietly, "I realize that, and I am truly sorry for it. I had to distance myself from you, Little Master. There was simply so much happening inside my head that I could not process it myself, and until I was able to, I could not even begin to think of having you understand a bit of it. If you are willing to listen to me now, I will speak of just why I have been unable to look at you for all of this time."

Somewhere below the anxiety and the fear, Jr. had to admit curiosity was beginning to well. He walked over to the bar and leaned back against it. While any other time the action would have denoted relaxation, his posture was still stiff enough to convey to Shelley that he wasn't doing it to relax. She knew him well enough that if he weren't leaning against something, he'd be pacing, and that could be very distracting. "All right, I'll admit you've got me more than a little curious. I'll stay to listen, Shelley, but I'm not promising I won't just say to hell with it if you say something I don't want to hear. I think I've earned that right, don't you?"

Shelley sighed and moved toward him, but he backed away from the bar a few paces. A shimmer of hurt passed across her face, but it was quickly gone. She had no choice but to admit he had every right to be wary of her at that point, and so she didn't press the issue of trying to be anywhere near him. "I do believe you are correct in that assumption, Little Master. Would you mind if I were to sit down, however? I would feel more comfortable." He shook his head silently. She crossed to the booth and sat down gracefully. "It has been so long since we have truly spoken, and I find myself at a loss for words."

He glanced off to the side. "It's been months, Shelley, months of me being completely lost as to why the hell you started avoiding me. And trying to talk to you about it got me nowhere. Maybe it's not something I'd normally do, but yeah, I gave up after that. I was tired of chasing you down and asking, only to get a blank look in response and a major brush-off."

She rubbed the space between her eyebrows before replying. "I could not handle looking at you, Little Master. It was much simpler to act as though I had no idea what you were speaking of and make a hasty retreat."

Jr. rubbed at his temples. "I get that, Shelley, but why the hell couldn't you stand to look at me? It's not like I looked any damn different than I had before at that point."

The moment of truth had arrived, Shelley realized. She was not surprised that Little Master had placed everything on the table so bluntly; it was after all a trait of his to do so. She gnawed at her lower lip, wondering if there was a way to put it gently and spare him as much pain as possible. She wasn't going to be able to, and that made her heart ache for him. "It was that fact that made it impossible and heart-wrenching for me, Little Master. You see, I resented your very presence."

Jr.'s blue eyes widened, and then his face drained of every bit of color. "Shelley…" His voice trailed off painfully. His throat worked for a minute as he struggled to form words, and finally he managed to say, "But why?"

Her eyes began to sparkle with unshed tears. "You were simply a younger-looking version of Master Gaignun, and seeing his face looking back at me whenever you turned my way was something that made my heart shatter into pieces. I resented you for returning and not finding a way to save Master Gaignun. I resented you for abandoning him so that you could be reunited with Albedo. I resented you for not finding some way to separate him from Dmitri Yuriev. Most of all, I resented you for leaving me adrift in a universe that was devoid of the one person I had loved and who had always understood me." The tears had begun to track their way down her cheeks, but she took no notice of them. Her eyes were riveted to the person in front of her, whose mouth was open and gaping as he tried to process the information she had just presented to him.

Jr. spun from her and began to pace agitatedly. He was trying desperately to understand how Shelley could have hidden her secret from him for so long. He was also breathing hard against the pain she had awakened within him at the mention of his failure to save Gaignun. He had thought the wound closed after he'd spoken to Shion so many months ago, but Shelley had stripped him of that fantasy. Choking back the tears that were threatening to fall, he spoke in a whisper. "Do you have any idea of how hard I tried to save him? He was my partner, and above all, he was my brother! I didn't want to return without him, Shelley! He didn't give me a damn choice in the matter! He was tired of fighting who he was, he told me, and he just wanted to rest. Despite that, I would have given anything to have him be the one to walk out of Abel's Ark! Jesus, I would have died to save him!"

Shelley's voice was just as quiet when she answered. "While I do not doubt that you sincerely believe that, Little Master, it would never have happened. Your existence is far too important to you, and I do not blame you for that. However, between Master Gaignun and yourself, he was the far more selfless one. He did as I would have expected of him. You were always most important to him." Jr. opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a hand to silence him. "Little Master, your selfishness can be traced back to all of us. Master Gaignun and I were very guilty of spoiling you, he even more so due to his guilt over what he had been created for. Mary adored you and would have done anything you asked of her. We allowed you to become who you were, and we never once questioned our treatment of you."

Jr. clenched his hands into fists. "Don't try to shoulder all the damn blame, Shelley. I was guilty of allowing the spoiling to happen. I wasn't a child to be coddled, but I behaved like I was. I took advantage of it, and I reveled in it. I loved being the center of attention in all your lives, and I loved how you all tried to please me. God, I was so freakin' pathetic and immature when I look back on it. You're right, I am a selfish bastard. I never once thought of what you were going through, only what it was doing to me. What the hell does Shion even see in me?" he finished softly.

Shelley got to her feet and made her way toward him to take his hand in hers gently. "Selfishness is not the only trait you possess. And it does not overwhelm you to the point that you can think only of yourself. I know that this talk must have been something that you were dreading, and yet you came. A truly selfish person would have only thought of their own feelings and, fearing what would be said, stayed away. You did not. For that, I am very grateful. For either one of us to truly move on, we needed to be able to speak of Master Gaignun and how we truly felt. I also wish you to know that I do not feel this way toward you anymore. I have come to terms with losing Master Gaignun, as much as I am able to, and I know very well that he would not wish for me to lose myself. In order for me to face such a truth, however, I needed to speak with you and tell you of what I have been facing."

Jr. removed his hand from hers and took a few steps back. "Shelley, I can't just go on as though you didn't just tell me you resented my whole existence. I think I'm going to need time to process all of this, and I'm sorry if you're expecting something from me right now that I can't give. I'm glad you were able to air everything out and tell me what the hell was going on, but I can't…" His face tormented, he turned and broke into a run, rushing out of the lounge.

Shion glanced up to see Jr. come barreling out of the lounge, and she immediately turned away from Allen. Jr. didn't even seem to take notice of Allen, as all of his attention was focused on Shion. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she raised a hand to stroke his hair comfortingly. Allen was almost surprised at the lack of emotion he felt seeing the current running between them. He barely noticed when Shion walked away, supporting Jr. as his shoulders shook. His attention was for the lavender-haired woman just emerging from the lounge, her face looking pale. "Shelley, are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

She smiled at him, the dark circles under her eyes standing out against the whiteness of her face. "I am fine, Allen. You worry far too much. The conversation was not nearly as…" Her voice trailed away, and she swayed alarmingly.

Allen rushed to her side, crying out "Shelley!" just as she collapsed against him. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her to the elevator, trying to get to her room as quickly as he could to lay her down.


	19. The Aftermath

**Author's note 1 – **I am warning you right at the start that this chapter is tremendous. I wasn't about to split it because I felt it would lose the impact. I totally would understand if you read it in small increments. XD

**Author's note 2 – **I want to address some of the reviews and the points within them. **xenolion**, the "kissy-face" between Jr. and Shion is necessary and normal, I think. They are both very emotional people and I believe that they would be touchy-feely within a relationship. Thank you for the compliment about Shelley. I am trying really hard to keep her in character and yet have her grow. **Leading Player**, MOMO has been either given attitude or the brush-off from Jr. when she contacts the Elsa. I know if I were in her position, I wouldn't be anxious to keep opening myself up to that. She will be showing up again soon, though. As for Jr.xShion not working, I can't say I agree with that (obviously! XD) There are far too many little hints in the games that show Jr. cares for Shion, and I do believe that Shion is more than capable of accepting Jr. for who he is and looking past his appearance. **HopelesslyEscaflowne**, once you pointed out about the jump between Tony's reaction and the next day, I realized I could have put in the dinner where Allen talks to Shion and Tony is quite uncomfortable with Jr. and Shion. –sigh- **kait1114**, do you know what exactly came across as awkward with Jr. and Shelley? I'd like to avoid that again if possible. Thanks as always to **E.S. Simeon** for continuing to read the story and review it loyally and thanks as well to new reviewer **xoxReneeOrionxox** (yes, I know who you are. XD)

Allen laid Shelley down upon her cot and sat down in the chair she'd installed in the room. He simply sat there quietly, watching over her. After some time had passed, he heard her make a small sound, indicating she was beginning to awaken. "Shelley?" he said softly, leaning over her.

Her purple eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, confusion apparent upon her face. She struggled to a sitting position, and Allen hurried to help her. She leaned against him for a few seconds and then pulled back. "How did I end up here? The last thing I recall is walking out of the lounge, and then it seems to be a blank."

Allen sat back but continued to keep a watchful eye upon her. "I'm not sure how it went with Jr., but he came racing out of the lounge like something evil was chasing after him. Then not much later, you appeared in the doorway, looking as white as a sheet. I asked if you were okay and you told me I worried too much. You're right, but how about we ignore that for now? You started to sway, and I rushed toward you, only to have you collapse against me. I carried you down here and waited for you to wake up to tell me what happened."

Shelley's eyes were soft as she looked at him. "Thank you for doing that for me." Blood rushed to Allen's face, and he averted it as he brought a hand to the back of his head. A tiny smile played upon her lips, but she decided against saying anything else that might embarrass him. Instead, she told him of what had happened during the conversation with Jr. "I fear I have hurt him greatly, Allen. I searched for a way to avoid doing so, but it was impossible to do. I can only hope that he realizes that I do not feel that way any longer, and that I was not actively looking to hurt him."

Allen sighed. "Not being any kind of Jr. expert, I can't say for sure. I will say, however, that Shion has always been good at comforting people. If anyone can make him see that you weren't doing so on purpose, it would be her. I can't say that he's my main concern right now, though. I want to make sure that **you're** okay."

She reached out and took his hand, and for the first time since they'd boarded the Elsa for the journey, he saw that her eyes were clear. "I am feeling much better, but thank you for your concern. Speaking with Little Master has convinced me that I can no longer avoid a discussion with Mary. I owe it to her as my sister to allow her the knowledge of why I have withdrawn from her. No, Allen," she said firmly when he began to speak. "You have done more than enough for me in going to Shion and setting up the meeting with Little Master. Mary is my responsibility. I think it is in both of our best interests if I find her and ask if she is willing to speak with me."

He squeezed her hand gently. "All right, I'll leave that one to you. I hope she's willing to listen to what you have to say. You know where I'll be if you need me, okay?" He stood up, looking indecisive for a minute. Before he lost his nerve, he bent down swiftly and kissed her on the cheek. Face flaming when he straightened, he nearly ran from the room while Shelley brought a hand to her cheek, looking a little dumbstruck.

After she'd recovered from the shock of Allen's kiss, she quickly got to her feet and headed for the elevator. She had no idea where Mary might be, but she was almost positive that she wouldn't be in the women's cabin. Shion wouldn't have wanted anyone present for Little Master's distress, and she would have found some way to ensure Mary's exit. As Shelley stepped off the elevator, she saw Mary on her way to the lounge. It appeared as though she'd given Shion a fight about leaving if she was only just now making her way there. Taking a deep breath, Shelley told herself, _Speaking with Little Master was much more difficult. Mary is my sister, but I have far less of an issue with her personally. I just wish to be seen as a separate individual. I hope she is able to understand that wish._ She called out, "Mary!"

Mary turned to face her, and Shelley saw how sullen she appeared. "What do ya want, Shelley? I got enough to deal with, and I don't need ya addin' to it. I get kicked outta my own room because **she** don't want me there. There ain't no one even speakin' to me aboard this ship, and I'm tired of bein' a pariah! So why would ya want to change all that right when I'm at my lowest and start talkin' to me?"

Shelley stopped in front of her and spoke in a direct tone. "Because I am ready to divulge to you just why I have been avoiding you, Mary. I do not wish to continue hurting you, and I am hoping that you will be willing to listen to what I have to say. If you are not, I will understand, for I have given you every reason to avoid me as well."

Mary was silent for a few minutes. She was obviously weighing her need to know why her sister had stopped talking to her against her anger that she had been abandoned. In the end, her need to know won out. "Fine, I'll listen to ya. At least I can say ya wanna talk to me, which is more than anyone else is willin' to do right now." She spun and headed off toward the lounge, and Shelley followed quietly.

Mary hopped up on one of the tables and pinned Shelley with a glare. It wasn't making what Shelley wanted to say any easier, but she knew she needed to after she'd gotten things this far. "Mary, I do want you to know that I wish I had never allowed things to degenerate as much as they have between us. I simply did not know how to speak with you of what was disturbing me."

Mary rested her elbows on her knees and propped her chin upon her hands. "I just don't get it, Shelley. We used to talk 'bout everythin', and now ya think ya can't talk to me at all? I really thought our bond was a whole lot stronger than that. I guess I thought wrong…" Her voice trailed off into a heavy sigh.

Shelley shook her head at her. "You did not think wrongly, Mary. It was because of that very bond that I felt as though I could not speak of what was weighing upon my conscious. I was sparing you the hurt that I knew I would cause you. It would appear that I cannot do so any longer, however."

Mary's blue eyes narrowed. "Nothin' coulda hurt me worse than you not talkin' to me, Shelley. Outta everyone on board this ship, I woulda never expected you to bail on me. I just wanna know why now."

Shelley placed a hand upon her arm in a thoughtful stance and looked to the side. "I will do as you wish, Mary. Before I begin, however, I want to make you aware that I am not doing this out of a need to hurt you. I am doing this in the hope that our sisterly bond will remain true." Mary nodded slightly, accepting mutely her sister's words. The time for silence was over for Shelley, and she decided it was best to dive into the conversation. With the stress of facing Little Master over, she knew she had the strength to accept whatever reaction Mary had to her revelation. "Our bond has always been special to me, since our time as laboratory guinea pigs. You turned to me and asked if I could be your big sister, and from that point on, I only wished to protect you. I cannot protect you from what I must say, though.

"We have been considered as a near single unit from the time we were rescued, and I have never had cause to disabuse anyone of that notion. Since we have been on this journey, however, a feeling has been growing within me. While I love you dearly, it would seem I am ready to simply be Shelley, and not Mary-and-Shelley. I just wish to be seen as my own person."

Mary jumped to her feet and crossed the room to stand in front of her. "That's what ya been hidin' from me all this time?" She threw her arms around Shelley, who stiffened in shock. "Ya nut! I wouldn't blame ya for wantin' to be who ya are! There ain't nothin' wrong with that! As long as I don't lose ya again, I'm willin' to accept that ya wanna be just plain, ol' Shelley. Why did ya think I wouldn't be able to handle it?"

Shelley tried to stifle the tears that were threatening to fall, but she was unable to do so. She hugged Mary back hard. "I should have trusted that our bond would survive most anything, Mary. We have been through so much together, and we have never abandoned one another before now. I am very sorry that I did so to you."

Mary pulled back to mock-glare at her. "If ya even think of doin' it again, I'll make ya regret it." They both laughed, and then Mary turned serious. "How do ya plan on goin' 'bout changin' everyone's mindset 'bout us, though? I mean, Allen, Scott, the Professor, and…Shion don't really look at us like that, but Little Mastah and the Elsa crew sure do. That'll be a real hard habit to make 'em break," she said with wide eyes.

Shelley sighed and moved away from Mary slightly. "I have not thought that far in advance if I were to be truthful, Mary. I did not want to think past what your reaction was going to be. It will be difficult to have them understand why I wish what I do. I will simply need to think upon it for a time and decide on the best course of action. At this moment, I am overwhelmed with happiness that I have not lost you, and that is enough for now." Her eyebrows drew together thoughtfully, and she glanced at Mary. "May I ask you how Little Master seemed to be faring when you left?"

Mary's nose wrinkled in distaste for a second, but her expression quickly cleared. "I don't know much, 'cause she near tossed me out on my ear when they came in. Little Mastah seemed to be in awful bad shape, though. He was leanin' against her and not sayin' much. That's really all I got to even see, before I started fightin' with her 'bout leavin'. I didn't think it was good to go with Little Mastah in that kinda shape, but she told me she 'was quite capable of takin' care of him, thank ya very much.' I fought her a little bit more, but she won out in the end. No big surprise there," she said, rolling her eyes.

Shelley felt guilt eating at her beneath the surface, but she knew she couldn't give in to it. It had never been her intent to hurt Little Master in such a way, and she had faith in Shion's ability to comfort him. At present, she was more concerned with knowing that Mary was still nursing quite a large grudge against Shion. "Mary, would it be possible for you to speak of why you seem to loathe Shion as you do? If I recall correctly, it was you who encouraged Little Master to admit to his feelings about her. He has done so, and he has even managed to win Shion's heart. Why would you not be happy for him?"

Mary bit her lip. "Shelley, I can't pinpoint just one reason. I ain't happy because of a lotta things. I just don't think that she and Little Mastah are good for each other. I think she woulda been better off stayin' with Allen, and not makin' the Little Mastah think she loves him. She's gonna end up hurtin' him, and when she does, I'm gonna have to pick up the pieces."

Shelley took note of the twinge Mary's mention of Shion staying with Allen caused her. It was possibly why her voice was a bit sharp when she answered. "Shion and Allen ended their relationship with good reason, Mary. They have now both moved on, Shion with the Little Master and Allen toward a future he must now envision without her. He has been doing well. As for your belief that you will need to pick up the pieces, I do not believe that to be so. She is carrying his child, and that bonds them together far more than most anything could."

Mary waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "I still don't get that, not one bit. You and I both know how much Little Mastah slept around, Shelley, and for her to magically be the one to wind up pregnant don't make no sense!"

Shelley said quietly, "It does not need to make sense, because it just is. He is happy with her, and if you care for him as you always have, then that should be all that matters."

The mutinous look upon Mary's face told far more than her words did. "We ain't gonna see eye-to-eye on this, Shelley, so how 'bout we just be happy we're talkin' again? I got my sister back and that's all I care 'bout right now."

Shelley decided it was wise to drop the subject for the time being. She didn't want to risk alienating Mary when they had just repaired their relationship. She wouldn't allow the subject to sit for long, however, because she knew Mary needed to confront the reality that the Little Master's relationship with Shion did not appear to be going down the same path his others had. For now, she was content to give Mary another hug and say, "I agree completely. I am simply happy to have my sister returned to me."

At dinner that night, Shelley was busily talking to Allen about the conversation she'd had with Mary. Whenever she'd tried to speak to him while they were working, the Professor had suddenly had a need for one or the other of them, preventing any real discussion. He was thrilled for her that she had had no real problems in talking with Mary. "You had a rough enough time talking to Jr., so it's good that Mary was able to understand where you were coming from."

Shelley glanced around the lounge suddenly. "Your mention of Little Master has pointed out something that should have been obvious from the low level of noise within the room. He and Shion are not present, and this is something that concerns me greatly. Little Master is not one to miss a meal, and over the past few months, Shion has not been apt to miss one herself. I am worried, Allen. Perhaps our conversation was far too much for him to bear," she sighed, her purple eyes downcast.

He placed a hand upon her arm and said with a shake of his head, "You can't blame yourself for how he's taking it, Shelley. You did what you had to do so you could start moving forward again, and I'll say this one more time. It wasn't your intention to hurt him. You were only looking to let him know why you'd been avoiding him all of this time. Could you try to remember that?" he said with a bit of a teasing smile.

She returned the smile and nodded. It was at that time that Tony turned in his seat and questioned, "Hey, what are you two talking about?" He propped an arm on the back of the booth, making them both realize that he wasn't turning around again without an answer.

They gave each other quick looks, and then Allen spoke up. "We were just saying that Jr. and Shion aren't here for dinner. That's a little strange, don't you think?" He was amazed to see Tony flush at the mention of their names. "What's wrong with you?"

Tony mumbled, "The lounge really ain't the best place to run across 'em, to tell ya the truth." He quickly turned away from them, not wanting to have to answer possible questions.

Hammer, who had overheard the conversation, spun to face them. "Yeah, I'm a little aggravated with them. I mean, I lost in that card game and all, and that meant I had to take some of Little Master and Shion's turns at kitchen duty. Tonight wasn't supposed to be one of them, though. Any clues where they are?"

Shelley was about to answer when she heard the lounge door slide open and then shut. She looked up to see Mary heading toward the table that she and Allen were sitting at. Mary dropped into the seat with a sigh. "Y'all can't wait for everyone to get here before ya start eatin'? I ain't that late, ya know."

Shelley said quietly, "Were you at the cabin to see if you were able to gain entry? If that is where you were, then I must know how things are there."

Mary gave the ceiling a glance and tapped her fingernails on the table. "Yeah, that's where I was, all right. I can't get in, because **she** said so. I'm guessin' Little Mastah still ain't doin' so hot. I couldn't even see him because she kept blockin' my view. I'm gettin' worried, Shelley, if ya wanna know the truth. I know ya said he'd be okay with her, but it don't look that way from where I'm standin'."

Shelley was silent for a minute or two. When she spoke, it was Allen that she addressed. "Between the two of us, I think Shion would condone a visit from you to check upon them. She knows it is due to the conversation Little Master had with me that he is acting the way he is, so I do doubt that she would wish to see me. Little Master and I had our discussion early in the afternoon, before lunch could be served, so I am fairly certain that Shion has not eaten since breakfast. That is not healthy for her or the child she carries. I do not blame her for wishing to remain by Little Master's side, but she needs sustenance. Would you be angry with me if I asked you to bring dinner to her?"

He replied, "Of course not. I'm worried about what's going on myself, so I'm just going to grab a plate and quick head over there I'll grab two, just in case Jr. is just avoiding everyone for now. I'll let you know what happened when I see you later, okay?" He patted her hand reassuringly and then jumped to his feet and headed off in the direction of the kitchen. Shelley and Mary were both left to their own thoughts, neither in much of a talkative mood due to the worry flooding both of them.

Maneuvering the plates so that he could knock, Allen suddenly was overcome with nervousness. _What if she's just as unhappy with me because I knew what Shelley had to say and didn't tell her? She's been mad at me lots of times, but thinking on this really makes me nervous. Maybe I'm not the best one to have do this right now._ He seriously considered turning back around, but then Shelley's face appeared in his mind's eye. He couldn't disappoint her when she'd asked him specifically. Taking a deep breath, he raised his hand to knock gently on the door. He heard noises from within the cabin, and then a minute later, the door slid open to reveal Shion.

Her face was streaked with tears, and it was as if sadness had enveloped her and was rolling off her, trying to infect him. Her green eyes lifted to his blue ones, and he saw unshed tears shimmering within them. "Allen," she whispered, "it's not a good time right now. So it'd be best if you left."

He sensed that she was already looking to let the door close, and so he spoke quickly to stop her. "I brought dinner for you and Jr. We all noticed that you two weren't in the lounge, so I was elected to check on you. With your being pregnant, you can't afford to be skipping meals. So here." He held out the plates to her.

She shook her head at him. "I'm not hungry, Allen, and Jr. isn't in the best frame of mind right now. Thank you for thinking of us, though." She tried to smile at him, but a wayward tear managed to escape and zigzagged its way down her cheek. As she whirled away from him, the door slid shut behind her, leaving Allen at a loss as to what he could have said or done to help in some way.

In the cabin, Shion stood still for a few minutes, trying to convince herself not to cry. Tears were threatening behind the lids of her closed eyes, and she fought back a sob. She hated feeling as helpless as she did at this particular moment. Almost from the time she'd managed to sit Jr. down upon their bed, he'd been silent. She had no idea what had even been discussed in the conversation he'd had with Shelley. He'd eventually stopped responding to her kisses and caresses, remaining stiff in her embrace. She covered her mouth with her hands and tried to keep control of her emotions. She slowly brought her hands to rest upon her stomach and said softly, "Can you lend Mommy some of your strength, baby? She needs it now more than ever." She felt the answering flutter, and it enabled her to move again and approach the bed.

She sank down beside Jr. and leaned her head against his shoulder. If it had been any other time, he would have slid his arm around her waist in answer, but now there was simply nothing. He didn't react when she lifted a hand to stroke his cheek gently. "Oh, Jr., I don't know what to do!" she cried. "It's almost as if you're no longer here. Please don't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you." The tears began falling again, and she made no effort to wipe them away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly as she cried.

She finally raised her head and realized quite a length of time had passed. She was aware that the longer Jr. stayed this way, the more likely it was that he would never come back to her. Her mind raced with ideas, but only one seemed at all plausible. At this point, she was willing to do anything to help Jr. and bring him back to her, so she straightened up and swiped at her face. Drawing a deep breath to steady herself, she brought her mouth to Jr.'s ear. "I know that you can hear me, Albedo. I also know that you don't really care for me, if I'm judging from Jr.'s reluctance to talk about you with me correctly. We have something in common, though, and that's the fact that we both love him. I can't reach him anymore, but I trust that you can. I'm not asking you to do it for me, but to please do it for your brother. I'm not going to leave his side until he comes back to me. So please…" Her voice trailed off, and she once again rested her head upon Jr.'s shoulder, closing her eyes and trusting in Albedo.

Albedo's consciousness stirred within Jr., and he pondered just what had awakened him. _Ah, I see now. It seems the princess has somehow managed to reach me. Just what is it that she needs?_ He listened intently to what she was saying, and he was then faced with the decision of whether he should help or not. _She does know precisely what points to hit. Well, well, I can honestly say the princess has impressed me. I would have expected her to run as fast and furiously as she could to remove herself from this situation. It seems as though she will not be abandoning Rubedo any time soon, and since I have nothing much to do at this time, I'll oblige her whims and help her. Now, where would Rubedo disappear to?_

It didn't take him long to locate Rubedo's consciousness. He was projecting himself as a lone seated figure, knees drawn up to his chest. Albedo could sense the misery radiating from him, and he was nearly loathe to disturb his twin. _Now, now, you're not known for your sympathy. The princess would not have called upon you if it was sympathy she thought Rubedo needed._ He projected himself as well and then sat down beside his brother. _I wasn't expecting to see you here, Rubedo. I was of the opinion you had a life and did not need to be sharing this space with me._

Rubedo's only answer was to draw his knees up further and hunch his shoulders inward. Albedo couldn't even sense a random thought coming from his twin. He was beginning to realize that the princess had indeed been right and Rubedo had shut himself down. He wasn't quite sure what would reach him. He recalled how the princess had spoken of not abandoning Rubedo, and suddenly an idea emerged. _So it would seem that you are still just as adept at abandonment. If there were awards given in that category, you do realize that you would take first place? _He felt a twinge of irritation from Rubedo, and because of it, he knew that he was on the correct path.

_I do believe I'm seeing a theme of abandonment in you and certain people surrounding you. You abandon me to U-DO, the princess nearly abandons everyone in her circle of friends for Red, and now you once again are looking to abandon someone you profess to be in love with. Forgive me for not understanding, but I was under the impression that when you love another, you do not just abandon them. And the sudden thought strikes me that not only would you be abandoning the princess but the brat as well. As long as you're able to live with the consequences of that action, please do not let me keep you from wallowing in self-pity._ Albedo felt a sudden surge of raw emotion from Rubedo and grinned. He'd struck the mark, just as he'd planned.

_Why don't you do me a goddamn favor and shut the hell up, Albedo? You don't have any idea what the hell is going on or why I've withdrawn the way I have! And I swear to you right now that if you call Shion or my child names again, I will find a way to force your consciousness so damn deep, you'll never find your way to the surface! Is there a freakin' reason you're even here bothering me? Or is it just you going out of your way to drive me insane when I just want to be left alone?_ Jr. was furious that Albedo couldn't see that he wanted to be on his own for a while. He was also fuming over the fact that he'd allowed his twin to force him into responding.

_Strangely enough, it was your love that asked me to speak with you. From what I gathered, she is mourning you and will not be leaving your side until you awaken. Is that what you wanted, Rubedo? Did you wish for her to pine for you?_ Albedo wasn't through needling his brother. He had to be sure that Rubedo wouldn't return to his previous state. Although he would never admit it aloud so that Rubedo was aware of it, he wasn't about to shirk the responsibility the princess had bestowed upon him. He didn't want to examine the reasoning behind his logic too closely, though.

_No, that's not what I wanted! I didn't expect her to stay by my side all of this time. She needs to worry about herself and our baby._

_Rubedo, do you honestly believe that she would leave your side with you in the state you've been in? There are times you amaze me with your remarkable ability to not think at all. It would seem to me that she has resolved her abandonment issues and is quite capable of remaining even in the worst situation. I'd like to know just what caused the worst situation, if you would be so kind as to share._ Despite Rubedo's hostility, Albedo was in the mood for a conversation with his twin.

Jr. made a noise like a growl and hauled himself to his feet. _The conversation with Shelley sucked, to put it bluntly. She blamed me for not saving Gaignun and leaving her without him. You know as well as I do that we both worked to save him, and he didn't want that. She resented my entire existence and couldn't even bear to look at me. I can't say that made me feel all that great. Opening up all that crap with Gaignun again and then to hear she wouldn't have been one bit sorry to see me disappear doesn't do a whole helluva lot for the ego._

_Is it worth losing the person you have told me you love? She is on the outside, worrying her pretty, little head over what you're going through within yourself. It even caused her to ask someone she knows doesn't particularly care for her for help. Thinking upon this, however, I am sure she would get over you in time. If he were to still be available, she could attempt another relationship with the one who bides his time until he's needed._ Albedo knew he was infuriating Rubedo, but knowing Rubedo as he did, he had been able to sense that there was something more to his antagonism toward the princess' ex. He wasn't about to let Rubedo leave until he discovered just what that something was. Even he had to admit that they were long overdue for an actual discussion, and it was time for both of them to stop running away.

Jr. shouted, _There is no way in hell I'll allow that to happen, Albedo! Shion is with me now, and it's gonna stay that way! Just because he was the one to bring her to her senses when she was ready to go off with that bastard doesn't mean a goddamn thing to me!_

Albedo was beginning to understand what the something was now, just from Rubedo's words, but he wanted to clarify to be certain. _You resent him for the fact that he was able to reach her with his words and actions when you could not? If that's the case, you should take time to reconsider your feelings upon the matter. If not for him, the pr-, excuse me, **your love** would not be sitting by your side, praying for your return. She would instead have walked away with Red and initiated Eternal Recurrence once again. While I don't expect you to fawn all over him in gratefulness, I would think resenting him for having the ability to make her see the error of her ways is carrying things a bit too far. Don't you agree, Rubedo?_

Jr. was silent for some time. He was mulling Albedo's words over and finding it ironic that his twin was being the logical one for once. Having found himself the object of resentment over something he'd tried to change but ultimately been unable to, he realized resenting Allen for being the one to sway Shion was wrong and childish as well. _I really hate to admit this, Albedo, but you're right. Without his intervention, Shion wouldn't be in my life right now. It's stupid to hang onto my resentment for him. He did what he did because he loved Shion, and that love managed to save her. I guess I never really wanted to think about it too hard or dig too deeply to understand just why I kept on looking for reasons to hate him after Shion and I started our relationship._

Albedo hadn't expected Rubedo to actually admit to what he knew was the truth. Rubedo had always been good at dancing around certain things and passing blame onto others, but it seemed that might be starting to change. _Today has been a day for surprises, Rubedo. First, your love impresses me with the strength of her will to stand by you, and now you have impressed me with your acknowledgment of the truth. Now, I do believe it would be best if you found your way back to her. I wouldn't want her to think I did not do as she requested of me after all._

Jr. narrowed his eyes at his brother. Albedo had never much cared for what anyone else thought other than his twin, but his tone when speaking of Shion was different than previous times. _Albedo, that almost sounds like you're starting to like her. What the hell hit you?_

Albedo shook his head briefly. _I won't lie and pretend I've thrown away all of my dislike for her. However, I will say that she has earned my respect, grudgingly might I add. She cares for you and proved it to me with what she's done. Now, don't you think it's high time you awakened?_ He got to his feet, since he had remained sitting throughout their conversation, and his consciousness began to fade. Before it did so entirely, he spoke one last thing. _I won't be avoiding you from this point on, Rubedo, so be sure to pencil me in for our usual midnight chat._

Shion had begun to doze off when she felt movement beneath her head. Opening her eyes groggily, she lifted her head to see Jr. staring back at her, his eyes alert. "Jr.!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck. "You're awake! Does this mean Albedo…?" Her voice trailed away as she felt his arm slide around her waist, something she'd been afraid she would never feel again. The fear of possibly having lost him for good that had been haunting her for the long hours since his discussion with Shelley had been assuaged, but now her emotions needed an outlet. She buried her face in his neck, sobbing.

Jr. drew her close, not needing to ask her why she was crying. The guilt flooded him as he felt her drawing shuddering breaths in a vain attempt to grasp control of herself. He lifted a hand to her hair and stroked it gently. "Let it all out, sweetheart," he murmured, laying his cheek atop her head. Tears filled his eyes as he realized just how worried he'd had her, and he held her tightly for a time.

Her sobbing finally began to taper off, and she lifted her head to look into his eyes. She removed her arms from around his neck to bring her hands to his face. "I'm sorry for losing it like that. I was so scared that I'd never see you looking back at me the way you are now."

He brought her hand to his mouth and pressed a gentle kiss to the palm of it. "I don't want you to apologize, sweetheart. With what I've put you through over these last hours, you had every right to do what you did. In fact, you had every right to hit me when I woke back up. I'm so sorry for hurting you like that," he whispered.

She gave him a teary smile. "That still might be coming, you know. I haven't quite decided about it yet."

He used the pad of his thumb to wipe away a stray tear that was sliding down her cheek. "I wish I could take back what I've done to you, but I can only promise that it won't happen again. I love you. I hope you know that, despite my recent stupidity."

She kissed him fiercely, pressing close to him. They lost themselves in the kiss for a minute or two, and then Jr. pulled back to caress her cheek. She said softly, "I would never doubt your love for me. Now tell me what happened, with both Shelley and Albedo."

He spoke to her about what Shelley had said to him in the lounge and was surprised to feel her stiffen in his embrace. "What's the matter, Shion?"

She bit her lip before she answered quietly. "I'd like to say I'm not angry with Shelley for saying what she said. I do understand where she's coming from, especially when I think about how very much she loved Gaignun. Keeping you in the dark for as long as she did, though, was wrong. I know she was trying to deal with how she felt and spare you worse pain than what she'd already caused you, but I just don't agree with it. Maybe it's because I'm too close to the situation, being in love with you and all," she said, kissing him softly. "I just wish she'd come to me and told me. It's possible I could have spoken to her and convinced her she needed to talk with you about it."

He kissed her temple. "I've had the time to reflect on what she said for longer than you have, so I think I'm seeing it from a less emotional angle now. Yeah, she hurt me when she told me she resented me and couldn't bear to look at me, but Shelley doesn't have a cruel bone in her body. She's just really forthright and honest. I think that's why she didn't tell me for so long. First, she had to deal with it herself, and then she had to convince herself that she could put me through the pain of hearing what she had to say. She wasn't looking to hurt me, sweetheart, and I know that now. I'm better off knowing why she was avoiding me, and now things can start moving forward. So don't be angry with her over it, okay? You've got a chance to get your friendship with her back, and I don't want to see that chance go to waste because of something that wasn't done with the intention to hurt me."

She snuggled against him. "I know you're right, and since it has to do with you, how you feel is more important. If you're not angry with her, then I'll try not to be, either." She was quiet for a brief time before bringing up Albedo. "So I guess despite Albedo's feelings about me, he was able to do as I asked because he cares for you."

He took her chin in his hand and looked into her eyes. "What do you mean by that? I never said that Albedo didn't -"

She brought her finger to his lips to silence him. "Jr., I think I can say I know you well enough by now to ascertain when you're hiding something like that. You rarely ever speak of him with me, which means he doesn't like me. I'll admit that it bothers me, because he is a part of you, but as long as I have your love, I'll be able to handle it."

He kissed her fingertip and then took her hand in his, interlacing his fingers with hers. "He and I had quite the talk after he'd antagonized me into responding to him. You were pretty smart in sending him after me. He knows just what buttons to push to piss me off. When it was all said and done, we both learned some things we weren't expecting."

Her eyes held a look of confusion. "I'm glad you had such a good talk with him, but what did the two of you learn from it?"

He sighed heavily. "From my end, he made me realize just why I've been hanging onto this hatred I have for Allen." Her eyebrows drew together in a frown, and he squeezed her hand lightly. "I resented him, sweetheart, just like Shelley resented me. Albedo made the connection and made me dig deep to admit that he was right."

The look of confusion had returned, and she rested her free hand upon his cheek. "Jr., what could you possibly have to resent him for? If it's still over the fact that our friendship is resuming, then I don't know what I can say to you about it. You know it's you that I love."

He leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "Hey, I know that very well. You've proven it to me more than enough," he said with a suggestive wink that made her blush prettily. His face turned serious. "No, the reason I resented him was because he did something that I wasn't able to. Back when you were all set to go off with…Kevin," he said the name distastefully, "Jin and I tried to get you to listen, and we were even willing to drag you back by the hair if need be. Well, we know how much damn good that did, don't we? But Allen was able to get you to listen to him through his words and selfless actions. Until Albedo pointed it out, I never thought about how much I hated him for being able to do that. Even if at that time I wasn't willing to admit how much you meant to me, deep in my heart I knew. I wanted to be the one to do that for you, and I resented him for taking that from me. Let me finish, okay?" he asked her as she opened her mouth to say something. She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Albedo was kind enough to remind me that without Allen, you wouldn't have been by my side, waiting for me to wake up. From there, I thought about it and knew I couldn't go on resenting him for loving you enough to not want to lose you. Trust me when I say that being resented doesn't feel all that great. So it's time to let go of the hatred. He did what he did out of love for you, and he made it so you're sitting here beside me. It'd be pretty damn stupid to keep hating him for it, huh?" He lifted an eyebrow at her.

She smiled at him softly. "Just who is this brand new Jr. sitting on the bed with me?" she teased, and he laughed as he pulled her close for a kiss. When they parted, she continued. "I'm not expecting miracles, but if you can manage to be less antagonistic toward him, that would be a start. Now that you know just what was causing your hostility, it should be much easier for you."

He ran his fingers through her silky hair, and then he said seriously, "I'm not promising miracles, Shion. He and I have never been what you'd call close or even all that friendly, but I can do the less antagonistic thing." She rested her head upon his shoulder once again, closing her eyes in thought. He said in a quiet tone, "Are you tired, sweetheart? You should really get some sleep if you are."

She shook her head against his shoulder. "No, I was just thinking about some things is all. You've told me about what you came to realize, but what about Albedo? Or is it something I shouldn't be asking about?"

He caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Actually, it's something I think you deserve to know. I tried to keep his feelings toward you a secret because I didn't want you to think that it reflected at all on how I felt about you. It doesn't, you know." He moved his thumb to her mouth and traced her lips before removing his thumb and pressing a kiss to them. Her eyes softly luminous, she nodded in response. "All right, just as long as you know that. Your asking him to help did something that he didn't expect. It caused him to respect you, because you weren't leaving my side and also because you knew how he felt and asked for his help, anyway."

Her eyes widened in shock. "I wasn't looking for that to happen, Jr. All I wanted was to have you come back to me. I knew he was the only way of reaching you by then, and I just hoped he cared more for you than he disliked me."

He said in a near whisper, "All I care about is that he made me realize that I was being an idiot, and I needed to come back to you. How I ever left you in the first place is a mystery, and I don't plan on doing it again to find a damn answer." Their mouths met in a lingering kiss, and Jr.'s arms slid around Shion's waist to haul her into his lap. He was brought to an abrupt halt by the sound of his stomach growling. He pulled back with a groan. "Dammit, but I'm starving. As much as I'd like to continue this, I need something to eat. How about you?"

Her eyes slid off to the side. "I'm a little hungry," she said, biting her lip. She didn't want to tell him that she hadn't eaten since breakfast, because she knew what his reaction would be. He was extremely overprotective of her and the baby, and since the morning sickness had abated, he always made sure she ate breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Something in her voice made Jr. glance sharply at her. "Hey, what aren't you telling me?" He ignored his stomach's protests for the moment, determined to get to the bottom of what she wasn't saying.

She knew very well that he wouldn't let the subject drop, so she replied, "I haven't eaten much today. Actually, I haven't eaten since breakfast, if I were to be completely honest with you." She sensed Jr. was about to say something, so she decided she might as well go the entire distance and let him know that their absence at dinner had been duly noted, and Allen had come by with dinner for them. "I told him I wasn't hungry. I wasn't at the time, either, because I was too worried over you!"

He rubbed at his eyes wearily. "Shion, I don't want you to think I'm yelling at you, but I do want you to listen to me. You and the baby come first, always. I would never have forgiven myself if I'd woken up and something had happened to you or our little one. Please promise me that if anything happens to me again, and I'm not just talking something like this, you'll take care of yourself and her." His hand moved to rest gently upon her lightly swelling stomach.

She poked him in the chest, causing him to shoot a look of surprise at her. "Did you honestly think I'd leave your side while you were suffering like that? I love you, Gaignun Kukai Jr., and I won't abandon you. If you'd like to know the truth, our little one was just as worried about Daddy as I was. I felt it from her. We'd both appreciate not being made to worry anymore, if you wouldn't mind." She lifted an eyebrow, and Jr. chuckled.

"Okay, I feel like I've just been scolded. Looks like I'll be the one making the promise then, not to make my two girls worry about me anymore." His hand slid under her shirt to caress her stomach as he leaned forward to give her one last kiss before they went off in search of something to eat.

While Jr. and Shion were having their conversation in the cabin, Allen and Shelley were trying to keep busy. Allen had told Shelley earlier when he'd come down to the lower level about what had happened when he'd spoken to Shion, and since then she'd been worried. Allen was just as worried, but he of all people knew that trying to force Shion into doing something she didn't wish to do was an impossibility. He'd managed to keep Shelley somewhat occupied by pretending he needed her help with something simple the Professor had thrust into his hand and demanded he work on, but he knew she was only humoring him. "Okay, Shelley, I give up," he sighed. "I know you just want to go and check on Shion, so come on. You'll see for yourself what I mean."

Shelley sighed as well. "I am very sorry, Allen. It is simply that I know it is not healthy for Shion to keep refusing any form of sustenance. She may be worried, and that is understandable, but I would be remiss if I allowed this to continue. It is very possible that if the two of us were to speak with her, she would not be able to refuse again."

Allen kept his thoughts to himself on that matter. He knew better than anyone that being confronted by two people would only force Shion to dig her heels in deeper and refuse to budge, but Shelley needed to know that for herself. Besides, he'd be lying to himself if he didn't admit that he was becoming even more worried over Shion. He didn't know what she'd meant by Jr. not being in the best frame of mind, but he did know that she couldn't hover over Jr. endlessly without paying a price for it eventually. "We'll stop by the lounge and heat up some dinner for her, and then we'll try your idea out." He allowed her to lead the way to the elevator.

As they approached the lounge, Shelley said quietly, "I feel that I have lost all chance at regaining Shion's friendship after this, Allen. If Little Master does not recover from what he seems to be suffering from, Shion will place blame on me directly. I cannot say that she would be wrong to do so."

Allen came to a halt and forced Shelley to do the same. "Hey, it's not your fault. Last time I looked, all you were doing was trying to give yourself a chance to move forward. If Shion blames you for Jr. not being able to handle the truth, then yeah, she is wrong. I'd think that Jr. should know you well enough to realize you weren't looking to hurt him. And I'm thinking we've been through this before," he told her. When she looked away, he placed a hand on her arm. "Shelley, believe me when I say it's easier to blame yourself than admit you did the right thing in talking to Jr. Please think about what I'm about to say now, though. If he'd been fine afterward, would you be standing here, thinking you shouldn't have done it?"

Shelley was silent for a few seconds and then replied, "No, I would not be."

His voice was soft when he spoke again. "That's what I mean. It was Jr.'s choice to take it however he did. You can't go on blaming yourself for it. Okay?" A slightly shocked look crossed his face when she moved to take his hand and squeeze it gently. "Shelley?"

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Allen, for being who you are, for not allowing me to continue to see only the dark side of this matter, and, most of all, for caring enough about me to keep reminding me that I did not wish to hurt Little Master. Thank you for being a wonderful friend." Without stopping to think about it, she raised up slightly to kiss him softly on the cheek.

Allen's face flamed, and his hand went to that same cheek. Obviously not quite sure what to say, he stammered, "How a-a-about we g-g-go and get that d-d-dinner now?" He turned away and quickly headed into the lounge, an amused Shelley close behind him. They both came to an abrupt stop when they heard Jr. say, "Just a **little** hungry, huh?" and Shion reply with a giggle, "Shush. You've made your point."

Allen and Shelley hurried over to the table, and Jr. and Shion looked up at them. Jr.'s look was curious, but Shion's look was focused on Shelley. Within it, Shelley read correctly that Shion had something she wished to say to her, but not in front of Jr. and Allen. Accepting it quietly, she turned her head to Jr. and asked, "How are you feeling, Little Master? We were not expecting to see you or Shion here."

Jr. tilted his head, confused. "What are the two of you doing here right now, anyway? It's way past dinnertime. And why the hell is your face so red, Allen?"

Allen glanced at him, shock clearly apparent on his face from having Jr. address him almost normally. "Um, no reason," he said slowly.

Jr. seemed to accept that, and he quickly looked toward Shion. Her eyebrows came together in a look of confusion, and that seemed to bring Jr. to some kind of decision. He stood up. "Look, I haven't been myself lately, which means I wasn't around for Shion. Shelley, I'm not blaming anyone, so don't worry about it. I took what you said the wrong way, but I had time to think about it, and I know you weren't looking to hurt me with what you said. But while I was taking that time, Shion was on her own. She was way too worried to leave my side, but she told me how you came by to try and get her to eat," he said to Allen, whose look of shock was beginning to deepen. "She's not your responsibility anymore, and you still did it. I don't know why you did it, but the point is that you did." He stopped for a minute, chewing at his bottom lip. "What I'm trying to say here is…thanks for looking after her." He nodded at Allen, who now looked as though the slightest touch would cause him to fall over.

Allen stuttered, "Uh, it was n-n-no problem. We w-w-were all just worried a-a-about her." He was afraid to say much else, because he was still trying to figure out just what had hit Jr. His eyes met Shelley's, and in hers he read bemusement. She was clearly thinking the same thing as he was, and she rushed to save him from having to speak further.

"Little Master, Shion is a part of us. We would of course worry about her, and you as well. Are you quite certain you are all right?" Her eyes slid to Shion, who had finished eating and was looking at Jr. with what could only be considered pride. She had obviously known nothing about his thanking Allen beforehand, although she didn't seem as surprised as she could be. Whatever had happened with Jr. seemed to have changed him in some basic way, and Shion was more than aware of that fact.

Jr. grinned as he sat back down and slid an arm around Shion's waist to draw her close. "Never been better, Shelley. I'm just glad I can count on a very special someone to never leave my side when I need her the most." His and Shion's eyes locked, and they shared a quick kiss.

Allen thought to himself, _Is it weird to wonder just why Jr. inspires that kind of loyalty in her, and yet I didn't? Things got rough between us, and she didn't stick around to try and fix them. Things get crazy between her and Jr., and she refuses to leave his side._ He watched Jr. tease Shion about how much she'd eaten, and then his blue eyes met Shelley's purple ones. Suddenly, he realized that there wasn't much point in dwelling on something that just was, and couldn't really be explained. Shaking his head slightly, he said quietly, "It's good to see you're back, Jr. It was kind of peaceful before without you."

Jr.'s eyes narrowed briefly, and then he realized Allen was trying to joke around with him. "It's good to be back. As for it being peaceful, I hope you didn't get too damn used to it." He seemed about to say something else, but they heard the lounge door slide open and all turned to face the person who'd just entered.

Tony looked around at the faces staring at him and did a double-take when he spied the Little Master's and Shion's among them. "I was just swinging in to grab some snacks and beer for me and the Captain. Wasn't expecting you two to be in here. In the lounge…at that table," he said, his voice becoming fainter as he continued. His face was slowly turning red, and he brought a hand to it. "I think I'll come back later, when there ain't nobody in here." He spun around and hurried from the lounge, leaving almost everyone staring after him, open-mouthed.

Jr., however, was busily connecting certain things in his head. _Damn, I knew I heard that door open that time. Guess I know who saw a helluva lot more than they bargained on now._ He turned to Shion, who had placed a hand on his arm in question. "It's nothing, sweetheart. I was just busy thinking about some stuff. Ready to call it a night and head back to the cabin? I can't say I'm all that damn tired, but I know for a fact that you have to be." He got to his feet and pulled her up into a standing position.

Shion's eyes were focused on Shelley. She squeezed Jr.'s hand lightly and answered, "You go on ahead. I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

Jr. leaned in toward her under the pretense of sliding his arm around her waist. He whispered in her ear, "We talked about this, Shion. You've gotta let it go."

She placed a hand on his chest. "I know we talked about it, but I still want to talk to her, Jr. I won't be long."

He gave her a swift kiss, acquiescing reluctantly. "All right. Don't make me miss you for too long, okay?" After saying good night to Allen and Shelley, he left the lounge.

Shion smiled at Allen. "Could I ask you a favor and have you give me and Shelley some time alone to talk about something?" He nodded with a return smile and was about to leave when she laid her hand upon his arm. He halted, looking at her in confusion. "Thank you for worrying about me and trying to make sure I was taking care of myself and the baby. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time about it."

He laughed. "It's not exactly like it hasn't happened before. I'm just glad everything worked out with Jr., and he's okay. You know I worry about you, though. It's just habit." He glanced at Shelley quickly, and she nodded to him. He quickly followed in Jr.'s wake.

Shelley waited quietly for Shion to say something. She didn't have long to wait. "Shelley, I don't want you to think that I'm trying to be nasty when I say what I have to say. I'm only saying it because I need you to know something. I understand why you waited so long to tell Jr. what was going on, what with you needing to deal with it yourself before you could really speak with him about it. If you ever have another problem with him, though, don't wait to tell him. I don't ever want to go through what I went through with him again. Do you understand me?"

Shelley said softly, "Yes, I do. I am very sorry for what happened, Shion. It is not what I was expecting. I knew my words would hurt Little Master, but I did not realize to what depth. Please believe me when I say it was never my intention to have either of you suffer the way you have."

Shion's voice was just as soft when she replied. "I know that, Shelley. I don't want to get into specifics, but I just can't do that all over again. I was so afraid I'd lost him…" Her eyes filled with tears, and Shelley reached out to enfold her in a comforting hug.

"Little Master loves you very much, Shion. I think that he would find his way back to you no matter the obstacle." Shion hugged her back, sniffling. "I am hopeful things can begin moving forward again. Is it too soon to pray that our friendship will be able to recover?" While the question was asked almost blandly, the answer was very important to Shelley.

Shion shook her head hard. "No, it's not too soon. I've missed you so much, Shelley. It'll be nice to have another woman to talk to, since Mary can barely stomach the sight of me." The two of them began to head out of the lounge, only to see Jr. awaiting Shion in the door of the cabin and Allen awaiting Shelley by the elevator.

"I apologize for that, Shion. Mary can be quite headstrong, and once she has taken an idea into her head, she does not relinquish it easily. I shall speak to her, but I do not think my words will reach her." They parted ways, and as Shelley watched Jr. sweep Shion into his arms and the door close behind them, an idea began to occur to her. It wouldn't work at the present time, but she had the feeling that she would soon be able to implement it. Shion's short conversation with her had convinced her of that.

She reached Allen, who raised his eyebrows and said, "What're you thinking about? You look really serious. Did everything go okay with Shion?"

Shelley aimed a smile at him. "Yes, everything went very well with Shion. She was able to discuss with me what she needed to. I cannot yet speak of what I am thinking of, but you may trust that it will become clear soon. I have faith in Shion. Now shall we return to the Professor and Scott to see if we have been missed at all?"

Allen shot her a look of disbelief before realizing she was being deadpan. "Someday you won't be able to do that to me, you know," he told her with a laugh and followed her onto the elevator.

**Author's ending note – **Since I'm thinking there may be some who don't think Jr. is capable of complete withdrawal the way I have him do, I thought I'd say why the idea occurred to me. When he kills Albedo and when Gaignun disappears, you can clearly see in Jr. that he has lost his will. I just took it one step further and had him withdraw into himself. Hopefully it came across okay… Also, I'm sorry about how I constantly flip between "Rubedo" and "Jr." in the conversation between Jr. and Albedo, but when talking from Albedo's POV, it was needed. He only sees Jr. as Rubedo, so for it to make sense and be truthful to their characters, I had to do it. I hope it wasn't too confusing!


	20. Revelations

**Author's note – **Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm glad you all liked the conversation between Jr. and Albedo. That little bit made Chapter 19 my favorite thus far as well, and it was a ton of fun to write. XD Anyway, here's Chapter 20 for your reading pleasure. I have to admit that this chapter gave me a hard time because it didn't want to flow at all for me. I hope it comes across well. As always, let me know.

**Disclaimer – **I have to add one of these again for the appearance of new characters that seem to have snuck up on me. While I don't own any of the original Xenosaga characters, I do very much own Charles, Melissa, and their little one, Joshua. I hope they fit in well with the Xeno-verse!

--- Aboard the Dämmerung ---

MOMO was busily searching for Miyuki. For the last few months, Miyuki had barely had time to have more than a ten-second conversation with her, and MOMO wanted to pin her down as to why. It was almost as though Miyuki was too nervous to remain in her presence for very long, but MOMO couldn't think of a reason as to why that would be. She'd just come from talking with her mother and Ziggy, and both had given her the same advice. "Don't allow her to walk away from you until you know what's going on with her. It's been bothering you for too long, and it's time you found out why she seems to be avoiding you." MOMO sighed to herself. "Mommy and Ziggy make it sound so easy, but what if I'm making something of this that it's not? Maybe Miyuki is just really busy and doesn't have the time to talk much. I mean, I'm busy most of the time with Doctus. I can't really expect her to have the same free time I have after all."

Someone said with a small laugh, "Are you having a good conversation with yourself, MOMO?"

She jumped and spun around. A smile lit her face. "Melissa, how are you? I haven't seen you in a few days, and I was beginning to worry! Has there been something wrong?"

Melissa shook her head. "No, sweetie, there's nothing wrong. It's only that Joshua still hasn't been able to sleep through the night, which means I can't, either. With how crabby that's been making me, I thought it would be a wise idea to keep myself away from everyone else. Charles has also been very busy making his rounds to check on all of his patients, so I don't see him half as much as I'd like. So, what exactly were you mumbling about?"

MOMO said with a shake of her head, "I don't want to burden you with my problems, Melissa. You've got a lot on your mind, and I don't want to add to that. I'm off to try and take care of it now, anyway."

Melissa reached out to give her a hug. "You know you're not a burden, MOMO. You're a wonderful, caring girl who worries far too much about others and not nearly enough about herself. So if you need to talk, I'm here to listen."

MOMO hugged her back before pulling away. "I'm okay, Melissa. You need to get back to Joshua, and stop worrying about silly me. Just don't stay away like that anymore, because the friend I told you about aboard the Elsa is doing that. I really wish she wouldn't." She gave Melissa a sad smile and then headed off as Melissa watched her silently, not knowing what to do.

It took her some time, but she was finally able to track down Miyuki. She was in the middle of a whirlwind of activity, with Togashi and a few other people MOMO didn't recognize immediately rushing around her. "Togashi, I really think we should try this instead! Your idea isn't working the way you said it would, so we need to give it a little tweak. Stop being so stubborn!" She stamped her foot slightly.

Togashi was about to retort when he saw MOMO in the doorway. "Hey, MOMO! What are you doing here? Looking for the slave driver?" he said with a grin and pointed at Miyuki, who wrinkled her nose at him.

"Just because you won't give in and admit your idea needs work doesn't make me a slave driver, you know! I'm just trying to be nice and help you out. See if I do that again!" She turned to MOMO with what seemed to be a nervous smile. "So, did you need me for something? I'm a little busy at the moment, though…"

MOMO said quietly, "Can we please talk for a little bit, Miyuki? I won't keep you for very long, I promise."

Miyuki's mental wheels were spinning, trying desperately to think up an excuse as to why she couldn't talk with MOMO. It wasn't that she was looking to hurt MOMO's feelings, but as she'd once told Shion, it was getting too difficult to talk to the little Realian with the secret she knew. She also knew that MOMO was the 100-series Observational Realian Prototype, which meant that she could observe certain things that Miyuki didn't want her to know. The last thing she wanted was to devastate MOMO with the knowledge that Jr. and Shion were together, and that the baby Shion was carrying was Jr.'s and not Allen's. She couldn't think of anything that wouldn't sound as though she was trying to avoid MOMO, however, and so she simply nodded her head. She headed toward the door and followed MOMO out into the hallway.

"Miyuki," MOMO started, "have you been avoiding me? It really feels like you have been, and if you are, could you tell me what I've done to make you want to?"

Miyuki backed up a few steps, bringing her hand up to cover her eyes. "MOMO, you haven't done anything. I haven't been avoiding you. I've just been so crazy with helping out Togashi that I don't have a lot of time to myself. I'm really sorry you got that feeling."

MOMO's observational skills were picking up a strange emotion from Miyuki. She recognized it as guilt almost immediately. "Miyuki, what do you have to feel guilty about? I'm sorry for reading that in you, but my observational skills are something that just happen. I don't have the ability to really control them. I have to be able to read people to function properly."

Miyuki bit her lip. "MOMO, I'm so sorry, but I really need to go. I think I heard Togashi call me. He's so helpless without me!" She rushed away from MOMO, who brought her hands to her face to cover the fact that tears had filled her eyes.

"At least now I know she's avoiding me because she's feeling guilty about something. I just don't understand what she could be feeling that way about. I wish she would tell me, and then we could just talk about it." Her lower lip trembled, and then she turned around to return to her mother and Ziggy.

"Sweetheart, I don't understand it, either," Juli said after MOMO had finished telling her what had happened. "I'm hoping she'll approach you with whatever's bothering her soon, so you're able to discuss with her what's been going on. As flighty as she can be, she's an invaluable help aboard the ship, so I'd like the tension between the two of you resolved."

Ziggy said thoughtfully, "You did say she has seemed different since she spoke with Jr. and Shion. Perhaps one of them said something she did not agree with, and she is struggling with it. Do you think you could speak with either of them to discover if that was indeed the cause?"

MOMO and Juli glanced at one another. They hadn't said much to Ziggy about Jr.'s behavior when MOMO had contacted the Elsa, or when Jr. had contacted the Dämmerung. Ziggy tended to be overprotective of MOMO, and he and Jr. had butted heads on occasion about her. They didn't wish for a repeat performance. "Maybe, Ziggy," MOMO said with a small smile. "Would you mind if I talked to Mommy alone, though? It's girl stuff." Ziggy nodded formally, and he left the room without another word.

"Mommy, do you think I should try again? Maybe somehow I'd be able to talk to Shion. I spoke to Melissa briefly before I talked with Miyuki, and she reminded me about Shion. It's been so long since I've seen her, and I miss her so much." MOMO's golden eyes filled with tears, and Juli pulled her close for a hug.

"I know you do. You told me Jr. said that it was Shion's choice to withdraw from you, but do you think it's possible he conveyed the message incorrectly? Maybe she was simply having a bad day, because that does happen when a woman is pregnant. Mood swings are a normal occurrence. I'm thinking you should at least try one more time to reach her and see how things go from there." Juli drew back from MOMO gently and wiped her tears away.

MOMO straightened up determinedly. "You're right, Mommy! Can you let Doctus know that I'll be a little bit late in arriving to help her? I don't want her to think that I've abandoned her or anything. Thanks for listening to me, Mommy." She gave her mother a swift kiss on the cheek and flew out of the room.

As she headed toward one of the rooms that contained a UMN terminal, she ran into Melissa yet again. She was walking next to her husband, Charles, and they were deep in conversation. Not wanting to disturb them, MOMO continued on until Melissa called out her name. She quickly turned to face her, apologizing for not saying anything. "Oh, it's okay, sweetie. It's just that Charles was on his way to use the terminal it looks like you're headed for. It seems that one of your friends from that ship contacted Miyuki earlier today and asked if Charles would be able to examine the pregnant young woman over the communication. He said he had some time to spare and agreed to it."

A beaming smile lit up MOMO's face. "You mean Shion! That's just who I was going to try and contact! Is it possible for me to come in with you? I won't get in the way or anything." She was nearly bouncing in happiness.

Charles quickly looked at Melissa, who nodded silently. He sighed heavily and laid a hand on MOMO's shoulder. "I'm sorry to say this, MOMO, but Miyuki was specific about Shion's wishes. She asked that you not be present."

MOMO's face fell. "Did she say why?" she whispered painfully. Her heart was heavy, and she was no longer aglow with the thought that she might possibly be able to talk to Shion and that Shion's refusal to speak with her had been something that would go away.

Melissa pulled MOMO into a comforting hug. "Miyuki didn't give a reason. I don't know that she even knew why. Why don't you come and have something to eat with me while Charles does this? I'll pick up Joshua along the way. You know how much he adores you." She waved Charles away, and she and MOMO disappeared down the hallway.

Charles walked into the room and, standing before the UMN screen, realized he didn't know the coordinates of the Elsa to contact the ship. He was pondering just what to do when a perky female voice said, "You look like you're having a problem. Well, Miyuki is here to help! Allow me to contact Shion for you, okay?" She hurried over to the terminal, and her fingers danced swiftly, inputting the coordinates to the Elsa.

--- Aboard the Elsa ---

Shion was thinking of a way to keep Jr. from being present during the checkup she'd asked Miyuki to schedule for her. Since the doctor was sure to believe that the baby she carried was Allen's, he'd most certainly wonder just why Jr. was standing there beside her. While Jr. had indeed grown and was now 5'3", only slightly shorter than her height of 5'4", his face still had the younger look of an adolescent. The doctor would no doubt wonder why he was even interested in her pregnancy, and she simply wasn't about to explain to him the truth and run the real risk of MOMO finding out what was going on. Miyuki's knowledge of it was already dangerous enough, but so far she'd been able to keep the secret, a true first for her. Returning to her previous thoughts of Jr., she jumped when she felt his mouth against her neck. "What are you thinking about?" he murmured.

She glanced across the table to see that Matthews was deliberately looking elsewhere as he devoured the lunch in front of him. "Do you have any idea why he does that?" she asked Jr., not for the first time. He gave his usual shrug as an answer and eyed her shrewdly, letting her know she wasn't fooling him with her attempt at distracting him. She leaned her head against his shoulder and yawned. "I think I'm going to go and rest. I'm getting really tired after eating all of that." He smirked at her but refrained from commenting. "You don't have to come with me. You stay here and keep yourself out of trouble, okay? I love you," she whispered in his ear and slid out of the booth.

He reached out and caught her wrist with his hand as she came around to his side. "Hey, where are you headed so fast? Give me a chance to say goodbye properly," he teased and pulled her into his lap. Matthews and Tony glanced at one another, shaking their heads. Tony's face was a deep red, but Matthews seemed resigned. He'd told Tony that eventually he'd reach that level too, and that he'd be able to just ignore it when it happened. Then he'd bellowed at Tony there would be no more talking about it. Tony turned his head to face away from the Little Master and Shion and engaged Hammer in conversation. Jr. and Shion pulled apart reluctantly, and he said quietly, "I'll see you when you wake up. Now get going before I decide I'm getting a little tired myself."

She laughed softly and motioned discreetly to Shelley, who laid a hand upon Allen's. "Allen, I will return shortly. I believe I told you that Shion wished for me to be present at her checkups, did I not?"

He nodded, looking a little confused. "Yeah, you did, but I'm still lost as to just why she needs you there. She's the one who needs to get checked out. What's your presence going to do?"

Shelley smiled at him. "Shion cannot have the baby alone. She will need help when it comes to the delivery, due to the lack of a physician aboard the Elsa or anyone even remotely knowledgeable in the medical field. She is hoping that the doctor can somehow impart enough knowledge upon me that I will be able to aid her. I am capable of absorbing anything of importance quickly, so I am confident that within the allotted timeframe I will be able to learn enough."

Allen grinned back. "Hey, I don't have any worries about you picking things up quickly. And I never really thought about it, but you're right. She and Jr. picked a kind of inconvenient time to have a baby, you know." He and Shelley laughed, and then Shelley got to her feet. "I'll see you in a little while then." Their eyes met briefly and then slid away. While certain things had changed since Shelley had finally released herself from all of her burdens, neither one of them was quite ready to acknowledge those changes. It was an unspoken agreement between them that they would proceed slowly for the time being and see how everything developed.

Jr. raised an eyebrow at Shelley when she joined Shion. Shelley said in answer to his unspoken question, "I have something I wish to speak of with Shion, Little Master. It will not take long, and the conversation will be over by the time she reaches the cabin. I intend upon going downstairs and continuing work I have left for far too long afterward."

Jr. grumbled, "I don't know how the hell you even work with that maniac. He's really freakin' weird and mutters to himself all of the time. Does he ever make any damn sense?"

Shelley said very innocently, "He makes almost as much sense as you do, Little Master." As she and Shion walked away, they heard Jr. say in an irritated tone, "Hey!" Both of them laughed and disappeared from the lounge.

--- Aboard the Dämmerung ---

Melissa propped a sleepy Joshua against her shoulder and rubbed his back gently. "Did you want to talk about what's going on, MOMO? I'm here to listen if you do."

MOMO settled her chin on her hand with a sigh. "Everything was fine before Jr. left, Melissa. I don't know that he felt the same way about me that I feel about him, but I did know that he cared for me. He always protected me and looked after me, no matter what happened. Since they've been on the journey to Lost Jerusalem, though, he's slowly been, I don't know, withdrawing from me. He barely has time to talk to me, and he won't really even make eye contact with me. The last time we talked, I picked up something from him that I really wish I hadn't." Her eyes began to sparkle with tears, and she sniffled softly. Her hands slid up to her face to cover it from Melissa's view.

Melissa said quietly, "I can understand if you want to end the conversation, sweetie. It's obvious it's causing you quite a bit of pain, and that's not what I intended it to do. I just wanted to try to help you."

MOMO shook her head resolutely. "No, I can't keep burying it and avoiding what I know is the truth, Melissa. Thank you so much for not wanting to cause me pain, though." She smiled at Melissa sadly but stretched a hand across the table to pat Melissa's. "Do you remember when I talked to Jr. the last time and I told you he mentioned how he was looking after Shion now that she and Allen had gone their separate ways? He said it was because they were good friends, but I knew that wasn't right. My observational skills picked up in him that his feelings were much more than friendship for Shion. Oh, Melissa, I realized he'd fallen in love with her somehow!" After she'd managed to get that statement out, she dropped her head to her hands and began to sob in earnest.

Shifting Joshua to the other shoulder, who merely snuffled sleepily and cuddled into her neck, Melissa moved to the booth MOMO was seated in and pulled her close in a one-armed hug. She could feel the sobs wracking the little Realian's body, and she thought for a minute on what she could even say to remotely help. "It may simply be because the two of them are together on the journey, MOMO. He's apart from you, and maybe the distance is too much right now. Your friend is closer, and it might be he feels more comfortable transferring his feelings onto her. I have a question for you regarding your friend, Shion, however. Do you believe that she could feel the same way for Jr. that you read in him he is feeling for her?"

MOMO shook her head very hard. "No, never. Shion cares about Jr. of course, but she just ended her relationship with Allen. I can't see that she would be willing to start another so quickly. I also know her well enough to say that she wouldn't do that to me. She knows how much I care for him, and she wouldn't hurt me that way. So do you think I'm being silly for thinking like this?" She straightened up with a sigh and started dashing at her face to remove the traces of her tears.

Melissa replied, "No, sweetie, I don't think you're being silly. I think you have a lot of feelings that you're having a hard time dealing with. From what you said, I assume you still care very much for Jr.?" MOMO nodded silently. "Then finding out that he has very serious feelings for another person, and that the person is a very good friend of yours, is going to be a difficult thing for you to understand. This is especially true because he won't make the time to even talk to you about anything. Nothing I say to you here is going to do much good. He's the only one that can help you sort through all of the confusion, unfortunately."

MOMO, heedful of Joshua sleeping peacefully, kept her voice down when she answered; although she had so many conflicting emotions at that point, she wasn't quite sure how she managed to do so. "But he won't even talk to me, Melissa! And how exactly will he help me sort through things? I don't think I would be okay if he was to tell me that he was definitely in love with Shion. It would mean I've lost him, and I care about him far too much to even think about that!" She jumped to her feet. "I don't care that Shion doesn't want me there! I have to talk to her," she said desperately. "Thank you for listening to me, Melissa. I'm so sorry to be in a rush to leave, but I might not get this chance again. I'll see you later." She rushed away.

Melissa kissed Joshua's sleeping cheek and said to herself softly, "I hope you're able to speak with her, MOMO. I think talking to her would set your mind somewhat at ease. You deserve at least much."

While MOMO was having her conversation with Melissa, Charles was busy examining Shion as thoroughly as he could over the communication. "From the little that I can do, Ms. Uzuki, I think it's safe to say that you're in good health. That bodes well for your baby. Have you been staying active?" A slow blush began creeping over Shion's face, and she averted it quickly. Charles laughed. "That does count toward being active, so please don't think you have a reason to be embarrassed." A thoughtful expression settled upon his face. "Although I do admit to being under the impression that you had broken off your relationship with the baby's father. Was I wrongly informed?"

Shion's eyes widened, and she quickly turned to Shelley, who looked as confused as she did. Shion's attention returned to Charles. "Um, yes, the relationship was ended. I wasn't aware that anyone aboard the Dämmerung knew about it, though. How exactly did you hear about that?"

Charles seemed lost in thought for a minute before he was able to recall. "I'm sorry it took me so long, but I can be rather forgetful about some things. It drives my wife, Melissa, crazy," he said with a laugh. "To answer your question, though, my wife was the one who informed me of your ended relationship. She has become quite close to MOMO and learned from her that she had spoken to the boy she cares about on board your ship, and he told her that he was looking after you because you and the baby's father had decided to separate."

Neither Shion nor Charles saw the sudden glimmer of comprehension pass across Shelley's face. With the way Shelley had been avoiding the Little Master and Shion, it hadn't occurred to her that they would be hiding the truth from MOMO. Now that the realization had come to her, she wondered if Allen himself was aware of it. She set it aside to concentrate on what she needed to for now.

Shion was silently fuming. Jr. had neglected to tell her that he'd said anything to MOMO about her relationship with Allen ending, and she had the feeling he'd neglected to do so on purpose. _I am going to kill him! Here I am pregnant and no longer with the baby's father in this man's eyes, and he knows I'm sexually active because my face gave me away. I can only imagine what he must be thinking! Gaignun Kukai Jr., you just wait until I get my hands on you! _She made an attempt at a smile and said quietly, "Jr. didn't tell me he'd done that. I'd just like you to know that I don't -"

Charles held up a hand to bring her to a halt. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Ms. Uzuki. I'd like to ask you a question, though, if I may." Still slightly preoccupied with her murderous thoughts toward Jr., Shion nodded distractedly. "Are you positive that I can't have MOMO come in and observe you? With the observational skills she possesses, she would know immediately how the baby is progressing. She could set your mind at ease far more than I can with the meager analysis I can perform over this communication. I have no issue with helping to prepare your friend to assist in the birth of the baby, and I will be sure to transport notes she can read over as well. I would feel much more confident if you would allow MOMO to help me focus on your pregnancy, however."

Shion shook her head quickly. "I can't allow that. Anyone aboard the Elsa can tell you how rapidly my mood shifts, and I would hate to say something that would upset her. I have faith in your abilities, Dr. Laramie. Please let MOMO know that I'm thinking of her, though, and that I hope she understands why I'm doing this. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this for me. Oh, and since I see Miyuki lurking in the background, can you tell her I'd like to speak with her quickly before I go?"

Charles smiled briefly. "Of course. I will see you again within the next few weeks to continue my monitoring. Ms. Godwin, please keep an eye out for the notes I will be sending. We'll go over everything in each of Ms. Uzuki's subsequent checkups, but I feel it's necessary to give you something to refer to as well. You do seem to pick up information quickly, so I'm of the opinion that Ms. Uzuki is in good hands. Take care until I see you the next time." He turned, and Miyuki rushed to the UMN screen. She didn't have a chance to say anything before the door of the Elsa's bridge opened to reveal a coldly furious Jr.

"And here I was thinking resting involved lying down in a damn bed and closing your eyes for a while. I wonder where the hell I would have gotten an idea like that! Now I know it means lying to the person you say you love and sneaking off to the bridge for a checkup that said person should have been at! Good to see I can trust you just as much, Shelley," he tossed at her.

Shion stalked over to him and put her hands on her hips. "And where do you get off acting all high-and-mighty?! Were you ever planning on telling me that you told MOMO Allen and I were through? Do you have any idea what I just looked like to that man?"

Jr. shouted, "No, I don't any goddamn clue, Shion! And just why is that? Because you saw fit to exclude me from this checkup when it's my child you're freakin' carrying! I deserve to be involved in everything to do with her, and you damn well know it!"

Shion said haughtily, "You deserve it? I don't owe you anything when you can't even see fit to tell me that you told MOMO Allen and I had ended our relationship! You hid it on purpose, Jr., because you knew I wouldn't have wanted her to know even that much!" Angry color was rising high on her cheekbones, and she poked Jr. in the chest, causing his eyes to flash dangerously. "He asked me if I was staying active, and of course I couldn't exactly say no, now could I? Then I find out that he thinks Allen and I are over, and now I look like I'm sleeping around when I'm five months pregnant! I don't think there are words to thank you enough for giving him that idea about me!"

Shelley was sliding toward the door unnoticed by either one of them. Even with her not having been around them much, she was well-aware of the fact that Jr. and Shion's fights could be legendary, and it certainly looked as though this one was shaping up to be exactly that. Interrupting them to even let them know of her departure was sure to be life-threatening, so she quickly hurried from the room to search for Allen.

"Shion, that baby you're carrying is mine! She is not Allen's, and you're damn lucky I didn't let MOMO know that instead of only telling her that you and Allen were over! I'm sorry that you were made out to look like that, but Jesus, you and Allen have been over for how damn long, and it's about time all of them on the Dämmerung knew it! If I had my way, every single one of them would know the goddamn truth! Now I want to know why the hell you felt the need to lie to me and keep me from this checkup. I go to the cabin to look in on you, and imagine the surprise I get when I find out you're not even freakin' there!" His eyes met hers in a furious clash of wills, and her mouth opened to give a heated response when another voice broke in.

"Um, hello! Did you forget that you've got company or what, Shion? And could the two of you try to keep it to a low roar? My eardrums are ringing." Miyuki laughed, but she took a step back when she saw Jr. turn to the screen and say in a low and dangerous voice, "You…"

Shion, already knowing what was about to be said, rushed to Jr.'s side and tugged on his hand. She looked up at Miyuki and said quickly, "I'll talk to you later, Miyuki. Jr. and I need to continue our discussion somewhere else."

Jr., despite the fury running through him at how she'd lied to him, cupped Shion's face in his hands and told her softly, "Our discussion is far from over, sweetheart, but I have something I'd like to say to your 'friend.' If you avert it now, you know I'll just grab her the next time."

Shion pursed her lips but gave in to the truth of that statement. "Fine, but don't allow the fact that you're angry with me to color how you talk to her." Her gaze returned to Miyuki, who was looking confused. "Jr. needs to talk to you. So could you stick around for a few minutes? By the time he's done, I'm sure you won't be in any mood to listen to what I wanted to tell you, so I'll just say it next time." She sighed and folded her arms across her chest.

Jr.'s attention returned to the confused brunette staring down at him. "I have a really damn important question to ask you. What kind of an idiot gives a pregnant woman a weapon?"

Miyuki's brown eyes narrowed. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? I've always sent Shion the newest version of the M.W.S., so this wasn't any different! I didn't know what you guys would be running into, so I thought she'd want to be prepared if there was any fighting that had to be done. And after I even made the color of it a combination of you two… It's safe to say I'm regretting **that** now," she huffed.

Jr. glanced back at Shion. He could honestly say he'd never taken notice of the color of her weapon, because he'd been too busy fuming over the fact that she'd even had one. She remained stubbornly silent, and he snapped at Miyuki, "So the damn color was supposed to make it all okay? I wasn't supposed to get pissed off over the fact that my pregnant lover was given a weapon she didn't even need?! My job is to protect both her and my child! I do not want her put in any kind of danger, and your giving her that weapon was like a goddamn green light for her to go looking for danger! Do you have any clue that she almost died because she thought she could fight off those damn things we encountered?! I'd told her to stay aboard the Elsa, but because you sent her that damn weapon, she thought she'd be safe in following me!" He stopped his tirade for a minute, breathing deeply against the memory of Shion hanging limply in that monster's grip. He felt Shion's hand slip into his, and the knowledge that she was aware of what he was thinking caused him to put aside his anger and pull her close, reveling in the nearness and warmth of her.

Miyuki's voice broke them apart, and Jr. shot her a glare. "It's good to see that you subscribe to the old-school thought of a woman needs to be barefoot and pregnant! Are you forgetting that Shion is more than capable of fighting? I certainly wouldn't send her a weapon if I didn't think she could handle it!"

Jr. growled, "No, I haven't forgotten she can fight, dammit! Here's something that obviously hasn't crossed **your** mind, though. She's pregnant and doesn't need to be fighting! That's what I'm here for, or did you miss that whole thing where I said it was my job to protect the two of them? And what the hell are you even talking about? Barefoot and pregnant?"

Miyuki threw her hands up in exasperation. "I mean that you have a caveman mentality! Grab the woman by the hair and make her do what you want, regardless of how she feels about it! We got past that a long time ago, and just because you're on your way to Lost Jerusalem doesn't mean it should be revived! Shion, what do you even see in this guy?" She began shaking her head, appearing bewildered.

Jr. opened his mouth to reply hotly, but Shion cut across him. "Miyuki, please don't even start that. All you need to know is that I love Jr., and I'm happy with him. I don't have to explain myself to you, and at this point, I can't say it's all that important to me that you understand it."

Miyuki rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because the two of you seemed really happy when you were about ready to rip one another's throats out just before."

Jr. stiffened at her words. "You don't know a goddamn thing about our relationship, so why don't you do us all a favor and just shut up?" His blue eyes met Miyuki's brown ones, and she made an inarticulate sound of outrage.

"I don't have a problem with that at all! You are such a…a…a… Argh!" She reached out and stabbed at the button to end the communication, and her image disappeared from the screen.

Jr.'s and Shion's gazes met and locked, and Shion said quietly, "Jr., I was under the impression we'd talked about this before. You weren't going to treat me like glass anymore. I know you want to protect me and our baby, but -" His finger against her lips silenced her.

"That doesn't change the fact that I was pissed beyond all belief when I saw you with that weapon, Shion. It also doesn't change the fact that anyone with half a brain would not have sent it to you in your condition."

"Jr., she did it because Miyuki of all people would know that I would want to protect my family just as much as you do. You and our baby mean everything to me, and I followed you not because I felt safe with that weapon in my hand, but because I wanted to be sure you were okay. I don't plan on searching out danger, but don't think that simply because I'm pregnant, I'm going to stand back and allow you to put yourself in harm's way. Hopefully, we won't need to face anything like that again, but I want you to know that I'm not going to let you force me into a role of standing there and watching you be hurt trying to protect the baby and me." She was surprised when he took her hand in his and threaded his fingers through hers.

"All right, sweetheart. As hard as it is for me to say this, I know you have every right to want to protect our family, too. That doesn't mean I'm going to allow you to take crazy risks, though, and I hope you know that." She gave him a soft smile, and he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Now, as much as I hate to return to our previous conversation when we're feeling a helluva lot calmer, we can't avoid it. I think we still have some issues we didn't quite work out before **she** interrupted us."

Due to the fact that Shion was irritated at how Miyuki had questioned her judgment in men, she wasn't in the mood to say anything to Jr. about how he'd referred to Miyuki. Instead, she said quietly, "Yes, we do. Why didn't you tell me that you'd told MOMO what had happened between Allen and me? I didn't like walking into that blind-sided, Jr. Our relationship means so much to me, and to see it reduced to something that I felt like I needed to be ashamed of really hurt me."

Jr. sighed. "I wasn't exactly looking for that to happen when I told her that, sweetheart. I just wanted her to know at least a little bit of the truth. It's bad enough that everyone save one person aboard the Dämmerung thinks you're carrying Allen's baby, and I have to keep up that charade. I couldn't keep up the charade that you and Allen were still happy together, too. Just know that I didn't do what I did in an attempt to have anyone look down on you, and I sure as hell wasn't looking for them to think you were someone who hopped from one guy to the next. I'm sorry I reduced our relationship to that. I'm so damn sorry," he whispered and pulled her into his arms. She slid her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his thick crimson hair. His mouth met hers in a soft butterfly kiss of apology, and she leaned into him to deepen the kiss.

When they parted, his eyes were heavy-lidded, telling her what thoughts were on his mind. She placed a hand against his chest as he was about to capture her mouth with his again. "Jr., we're not finished yet. I've got something I need to say to you, too." His look was blank, and she brought the hand that was resting on his chest to his face. "I know you had every right to storm in here the way you did. I lied to you and kept you from being here when you should have been. I didn't want to have to explain your presence, but she's a part of both of us. Because of that, you deserve the chance to be by my side if you want to be when I'm having these checkups. I'm sorry for doing that to you." She felt his hand slide under her shirt, and his thumb caressed the rounded bump of her stomach.

"I understand why you did it, Shion. It was just knowing you lied to me that pissed me off. I'd rather you'd have confronted me about it, and we got it out in the open." He saw her raise an eyebrow, and he said, "What? How come you're looking at me like that?"

"Do you seriously think I'd have gotten out of the lounge without you if I'd been upfront and honest with you? It would have defeated my whole purpose."

Jr. thought about it for a few seconds before chuckling. "I see your point. There's no way in hell I would have let you walk out of that lounge without me by your side." He turned her away from him so her back was against his front, and he laid his hands upon her stomach gently. "I just want to be a part of everything to do with her, sweetheart. I don't care if you tell the doctor that I'm just a concerned friend, which, as long as we keep our hands off one another, we'll be able to convince him of. No more keeping me away, okay?"

She snuggled back against him. "I promise not to do that again. You'll be a part of everything from now on." She was silent for a moment, and he brought his mouth to her neck to press a soft kiss to it. "You do realize that convincing him you're only a concerned friend means none of that in the doctor's presence," she teased.

He groaned. "Yeah, I get that. It sure as hell won't be easy to keep my hands off you, but I'll manage it somehow. Now, how about we head to the cabin? Unless you're actually tired by now and in need of a nap."

She laughed quietly and turned in his embrace. "I'm a little tired, but I think I'll be able to stay up for a while." He gave her a swift kiss and then they left the bridge, their destination the cabin.

Albedo chose that inopportune moment to make an appearance. _You do realize that if I was still in possession of my own body, I would be shaking my head at the moment?_

Jr. hissed, "Come on, Albedo, give me a break! This isn't the best time for you to be showing up!" He gave Shion a lopsided grin, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Be nice to him. Remember that he helped us out when he didn't have to, and I can't thank him enough for that." She kissed him on the cheek, and he sighed.

"Fine, I'll bite. Why exactly would you be shaking your head?" All the while Jr. was speaking, he was continuing to maneuver Shion in the direction of the cabin. He wasn't about to allow his brother to deny him time with her.

_For the life of me, I cannot understand how the two of you can be fighting as viciously as you were and then abandon all anger and be so disgustingly nauseating. How exactly does one go about doing so? If this is love, I am at a loss as to why so many speak of the wonders of it. From my viewpoint, it seems to be more of an annoyance than a wonder. Once again, I watch you twist yourself into knots to please the princess, and I see that she is just as guilty of the same. What makes this something I would ever want to attain? Yes, I am well-aware of the fact that I couldn't even should I want to; I simply require an answer that makes one bit of sense._ Albedo had asked this of his twin before but had yet to receive what he deemed a worthy answer.

Jr. noticed the change of tone in Albedo's voice when he called Shion "the princess," and that was what kept him from his usual retort on how Albedo needed to call her by name. It wasn't the haughty tone he usually employed, but more of a casual tone. He had the feeling that Albedo had called her that for too long, and that despite his newfound respect for her, he couldn't refer to her as anything else. "I can't give you an answer you'll understand, Albedo. All I can say is that when I look into her eyes, I don't see anything but her. She means everything to me." He was quiet after that, and Albedo sighed.

_Rubedo, it would have been extremely kind of you to allow me a chance to mentally avert my eyes. Would it have been so much to ask to grant me those few seconds of peace and not assure me certain mental images? _He didn't receive an answer from his twin, but he hadn't expected one when Rubedo's mouth was otherwise occupied. Albedo drifted into a thankfully dreamless slumber, affording Rubedo and his love much needed privacy.

--- Earlier ---

Since Shelley had hastily exited the bridge, she'd been searching for Allen, to no avail. She'd gone down to the lower level right away, knowing that he wouldn't have lingered in the lounge after lunch had finished up. When she'd glanced into the room, however, she'd seen only the Professor and Scott. Not wanting the Professor to see her standing there, she quickly motioned to Scott, who wandered over to her. "What's the matter, Shelley? If you're looking for Allen, he was still upstairs in the lounge the last I saw him. He was talking to Hammer about something. Since he's not going out of his way to avoid the Little Master now, the two of them have become buddy-buddy again."

Shelley sighed. "Had I stopped by the lounge to see if he was indeed there, he would not have been. Because I did not, he of course would still be there. Thank you, Scott. Would it be possible for you to let the Professor know that I will be along shortly? I would not wish for him to think I am avoiding my responsibilities."

Scott waved a hand. "I'll tell him, but he probably won't hear me. He's too busy dancing over some kind of plan he's been busy thinking up. He keeps hinting that he might be able to build a new Erde Kaiser soon. At least that would keep us occupied for a good, long time, huh?" He and Shelley shared a laugh, and then Shelley hurried away to head back to the elevator.

She entered the lounge and looked around, but Allen wasn't in sight. Captain Matthews was seated at one of the tables, along with Tony and Hammer. "I bet you're lookin' for your **friend**," he said with a wink, and Shelley barely managed to keep from rolling her eyes. "You just missed him. He was headed into the kitchen to clean up, since our former Ms. Vector bailed to take a nap, and then the Little Master bailed to check in on her."

Shelley said formally, "Thank you, Captain. If you would please excuse me…" She turned and began walking off in the direction of the kitchen when Matthews called out her name. Annoyance, something Shelley felt very rarely, bubbled within her, but she kept it contained and turned back to him with a pleasant smile. "Yes, Captain?"

"Now that you're not avoidin' the Little Master anymore, do ya think we could maybe get ya back on the bridge? Hammer said he kinda liked having the additional navigational backup, and besides, it kept these morons in check. They fought a whole helluva lot less with a lady around." Matthews shot her a grin, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I will need to let the Professor know, but I must admit to missing my position on the bridge. Would it be possible to divide my time between the bridge and helping the Professor? I can safely say that he will not relinquish me without having a guarantee that I will still be of some assistance to him." Shelley was trying to ignore the small voice telling her that she would miss seeing Allen if she gave up helping the Professor entirely, but the small voice was being quite insistent. By compromising, she was ensuring that she would still be able to spend time with him.

Matthews said darkly, "Yeah, we gotta keep him happy, even though he drives everyone nuts. He knows his damn stuff, so we ain't got much choice in the matter. Now get a move on! You're gonna miss seeing that **friend** of yours." Shelley eyed him narrowly, causing the entire Elsa crew to start laughing. She walked away rather stiffly, deciding it was wiser to keep silent on the matter.

Allen looked up from the plate he was washing and gave Shelley a grin. "Nice to see a friendly face. I'm hoping this means that I'll get myself a helping hand?"

Shelley nodded and took up her place next to him. "I am beginning to think they see us in pairs and cannot fathom a change in routine. The Little Master and Shion are one pair, we are another, and Mary and Tony are the final pair. It never varies, and we never work with any of the others. Three men sitting at the table in the lounge, and yet not one of them could come in here to help you." She gave a regretful shake of her head.

Allen shrugged. "I was doing okay, anyway. Shion had a reason for avoiding cleanup duty, and I knew there was no way Jr. was doing it without her. Nobody else was jumping up to take care of it. So here I am, up to my elbows in soap and water." He laughed and handed her a dish to dry off. "How did everything go, anyway? Do you think you'll be able to learn what you need to help Shion out when she's ready to have the baby?"

Shelley looked thoughtful for a few seconds before answering. "Yes, I do believe that I will be able to store the information needed to be of assistance to her. The doctor is also being kind enough to transport notes I can study. If all goes well and Shion does not have the baby early, I have four months in which to prepare myself. That should be more than enough time. The doctor seemed confident in my ability as well." She fell silent, concentrating on drying the dishes and wondering just how she could approach Allen with what she'd discovered. She was also trying to decide if she should even tell him. She knew that there was every possibility that it would hurt him, and she cared for him too much to cause him pain voluntarily.

Just as she'd come to the decision to keep the knowledge to herself, Allen laid a soapy hand upon hers. "Hey, how come you're so quiet?" Shelley raised an eyebrow at him, and he quickly amended it to, "How come you're more quiet than normal? It's obvious you're thinking about something, and that whatever it is, it's bothering you. You know I'm here to listen if you need to talk."

She bit her lip, now unsure of what to do. "I learned of something while at Shion's checkup, but I do not know if I should share my knowledge. I am afraid of causing one of the people involved pain, and I am of the impression that this person has suffered more than enough and should not be subjected to additional pain."

His eyes met hers, and he said quietly, "I'm hoping I know you well enough by now to know who you're referring to. While I'm not eager to have more pain heaped on me, I really don't want you to hide it from me if it's definitely me you meant. It's going to cause you pain to keep it to yourself, and that's the last thing I want for you."

She heaved a sigh and handed him a dishtowel. "Then I would like you to dry off, and we will finish cleaning up after we talk." There was a small table and two chairs hidden in the corner of the kitchen, and they made their way over to them. Once they'd seated themselves, she was quiet long enough for Allen to begin wondering if she had decided she wasn't going to tell him after all. As he was about to slide his hand across the table, she glanced up at him. "I am sorry to be so withdrawn, Allen, but I do not know exactly how to tell you what I have discovered. There is no easy way for me to lead into it, I am afraid."

He didn't respond immediately, which made her think that he'd changed his mind about hearing what she had to say. When he spoke, he dispelled that notion. "You worry too much, Shelley. I think you're worse than me," he told her with a small smile. "Even if you could find an easy way to lead into it, the end result's going to be the same. So how about you just tell me, okay?"

Feeling the need to let him know she was there for him, she reached across the table to take his hand. He squeezed hers gently and nodded at her. "You may be aware of this, but I somehow am in doubt of it. We have both been avoiding the Little Master and Shion for different reasons, so I cannot say that this occurred to me at any time. During her checkup, the doctor said something to her about thinking she had ended her relationship with the baby's father. I was confused, but Shion confirmed this." She gave him an inquiring look, but Allen seemed perplexed.

"The last time I looked, ending a relationship didn't involve snuggling in the booth at mealtimes. It also didn't mean living in the same cabin and constantly being together. So could you tell me when Jr. and Shion ended their relationship? Because I'm not seeing it."

Shelley didn't want to continue. She knew that the conversation was going to cause Allen an enormous amount of pain, and she decided it was best to abandon it. "I think we should return to cleaning up, Allen. Mary and Tony certainly will not clean up before dinner. They will simply make more of a mess, and leave what is already there to be done by the next shift." She attempted to stand up, but Allen pressed on her hand. She avoided eye contact with him, instead choosing to stare toward the sink.

"Shelley, what aren't you telling me? I'm beyond confused now, and I have to admit to being curious to know what I'm missing here. Please stop protecting me, even though I know you're doing it because you care." He gave her another small smile, but the look in his blue eyes told her he was determined to find out what she was hiding.

"Allen, please believe me when I say it is for the best that we not continue this conversation. I should never have allowed it to begin." This time, Shelley succeeded in getting to her feet, but Allen jumped to his and stopped her when she started to walk away.

"You can't do that. You can't expect me to forget what you've already said and not want to know the rest. Come on, Shelley, tell me what it is you're keeping from me."

Giving in reluctantly because she knew he was right in that she couldn't expect him to pretend she hadn't said anything, she said softly, "She was not referring to the relationship she has with the Little Master, Allen. She was referring to the relationship she had with you."

Allen did a double-take. "Our relationship ended a while ago, Shelley. Why would the doctor even be bringing that up?" Suddenly comprehension dawned on his face, quickly followed by a look of pained hurt that he hurried to cover with his hand. She only took his free hand and held it, letting him know he wasn't alone. Finally, his eyes met hers, and it made her heart ache for him to see the agony in them. "She's letting them think she's carrying my child? Why would she do that?"

Giving in to the instinct flooding her, Shelley embraced him. He stood stiffly in her arms for a moment before circling his arms around her, too. "I believe," she replied in a near whisper, "it is because of how MOMO feels about the Little Master. Shion has always been close to MOMO, and she would want to spare her any amount of pain she could. Learning that Shion is in a relationship with him and is also carrying his child would be a devastating thing for MOMO. She did not, however, think of the pain it would cause other people. I am so very sorry, Allen." They stood for a time, holding each other close.

They pulled away from one another almost reluctantly, and Allen sighed heavily. "I can't say that it ever occurred to me that they would be keeping their relationship a secret. I mean, we see them every day, and there's nothing secretive about how act they act with each other. It makes sense why they'd be keeping it from MOMO, though. While I understand why, that doesn't mean I'm not angry over it. I think I'm going to have a talk with Shion about what's going on. Thanks for telling me, Shelley. As much as it hurt to hear, it's better that I know than possibly talk to MOMO or someone else from the Dämmerung, and then I'm standing there like an idiot because it's the first time I've heard of it. I doubt that'll happen, since MOMO only ever talks with Jr., but you can never be too sure of things, right?" He gave her a tired smile. "How about we finish up those dishes and then head down to deal with the usual?"

After they'd cleaned up, they headed out of the lounge and toward the elevator. Allen stiffened at the sight of Jr. and Shion disappearing into their cabin, and Shelley placed a hand on his arm. "I'm thinking now wouldn't be the best time to ask her if we could talk. Besides, I think I need a little time to process it in my head before I do that."

Shelley nodded and replied, "I understand. We have had conversations about what you desired with Shion, and I apologize for having to tell you what was happening."

They stepped onto the elevator, and Allen was quiet for the ride down. Once they'd exited the elevator, he spoke up. "Don't apologize for telling me, Shelley. It might not be something I was looking to hear, but it's definitely not your fault you had to tell me. Once I get into that room, I won't have the ability to think about much of anything, anyway. I guess that means there's something good to working with the Professor after all." His laugh was slight, but Shelley was relieved to see that he could still find humor in things with what she'd had to tell him.

"Speaking of the Professor, I have something I need to discuss with him myself. It seems that the Captain wishes for me to help out on the bridge once again, and I could not refuse him. I plan on dividing my time between the bridge and assisting the three of you, so I will not be leaving entirely. I do believe that all of you would be at a loss without me," she teased.

While Allen wasn't happy to hear that she wouldn't be around as she had been, he took comfort in the fact that she wasn't disappearing altogether. "I'm thinking you're right in your belief. For all his bluster that a woman doesn't belong helping us out, I think the Professor's grown pretty fond of 'Assistant Lavender.' I think we all have," he added, turning away as his face began to redden.

Shelley didn't say anything, but the glow that spread throughout her stayed with her through the conversation with the Professor. He didn't take the news well, but upon learning she wasn't going to up and leave them totally, he huffed and waved an annoyed hand at her to shoo her toward Allen. She moved to stand beside him, and as they worked, the Professor started one of his usual tirades, this time about gaining assistants and then dealing with the rudeness of people stealing them away. Allen and Shelley looked at one another, laughter in their eyes as well as feelings they couldn't quite admit to yet.

--- Aboard the Dämmerung ---

MOMO had been making her way toward the room where she knew Charles was speaking to Shion ever since she'd left Melissa, but she had been unsuccessful in her mission so far. Because of her willingness to help out everyone who stepped into her path, it was taking far more time than she'd planned on. She smiled up at Johnny, the young man from the Kukai Foundation, trying not to sound as though she were hurrying him. "I think it sounds like it'll work out, Johnny. The two of you have been through a lot, and I'm betting it's made your relationship much stronger than you're thinking right now. The best thing you can do is go and talk to her about how you're feeling." She watched Johnny rush away without another word, and she quickly spun around and continued on her way.

She reached the hallway the room was located in, but before she could take more than a few steps, Charles appeared and walked quickly to reach her. "MOMO, I thought you had disappeared with Melissa. What brings you back to this section of the ship?"

MOMO's words tumbled over one another in her haste to say them. "Shion didn't leave already, did she? I can't let her keep avoiding me like this! There's so much I need to talk to her about, and I know if I just go in there, she'll have no problem with talking to me!"

Charles laid his hand upon her shoulder gently. "MOMO, I spoke with her about her reluctance to see you. It seems that she is afraid of causing you hurt with words she speaks carelessly. With all that has been happening to her, tremendous mood swings aren't uncommon. She has severed a relationship with the father of her child and is attempting to make her way without him. That's quite a difficult thing to do. She asked me to let you know that she is thinking of you and that she hopes you understand she is simply trying to protect you. She seems to care very much for you."

MOMO's shoulders slumped at his words. "That's so like Shion to be worried about me when she has so many more important things to worry about. Four months is a really long time to have to wait to talk to her again, but I know I need to respect her wishes now. Does that mean I have to be okay with doing so, though?"

Charles replied quietly, "No, it doesn't mean that. It's perfectly fine to miss your friend, and to be upset that you're unable to talk to her. I'm going to try to change her mind, but please don't expect miracles, MOMO. She does seem to be quite resolute, and she also doesn't seem the type to change her mind easily."

MOMO giggled a little. "Yes, Shion is stubborn to a fault at times. She reminds me of Jr. in that way." The small bit of merriment that had appeared in her vanished when she mentioned Jr.'s name. "Thank you for saying you would talk to her. I don't see much coming of it, though." As Charles watched her walk away, her pain evident in the way she was holding herself, he honestly wished he could give her some kind of reassurance that he would be able to change his patient's mind. He was of the same opinion as she was, however, in that it would be a futile effort.


	21. Conflict

**Author's note – **I'm happy to see new names in my reviews. Seeing that my story is continuing to bring in people is wonderful! Anyway, I need to shout out a huge, HUGE thank you to Princess Artemis for her help when it came to Allen in this chapter. I don't know where I'd be without her. Also, this chapter gave me quite the problem, and I'm not too sure I'm altogether pleased with the results. I'll let you all read and see what you think of it. Happy reading!

Nearly a week had passed since Shelley had told him what was happening, and Allen had finally determined that he needed to take Shion aside to speak with her. However, he didn't desire Jr.'s presence for the conversation. It was something he felt only he and Shion needed to discuss at the moment, and he was well-aware of how fiercely overprotective of Shion Jr. was. He knew because there had been a time that role had belonged to him, and he would have done anything in his power to protect Shion from any sort of harm he could. It felt almost alien to him that he could very possibly be the one to hurt her now, and he wasn't looking forward to doing so. With what he knew, though, he couldn't just let things go the way they were. Shion needed to know how he felt.

He'd stopped in at the bridge to talk to Hammer and see if the Elsa crew was up to the challenge of helping him again. All of them looked at one another quickly, and Hammer shook his head. "We'd be happy to help you out, Allen, but there's this small problem. It seems that the Little Master caught on to what happened the last time, and he told the Captain that the only card games he'd be going to from now on were ones he set up himself. I don't know how you're going to pull this one off, honestly."

Allen brought a hand to the back of his head. "Well, there goes my entire plan then. How on Lost Jerusalem am I going to keep them apart long enough to talk to Shion?"

Shelley spoke up quietly from the terminal she was seated at. "If you would like, Allen, I can distract Little Master for the time that you need. I am not quite certain how I would go about doing so as of yet, but I know that I could find a way."

Allen wasn't happy with setting Shelley on Jr., and he said so. "I'd really rather you didn't, Shelley. You and Jr. just stopped avoiding one another, and I don't want to be the cause of the two of you having some kind of fight and not talking to each other again. I think I'll just ask Shion if I can talk to her alone. Jr.'s been easier to get along with lately, so he might be okay with it." After a quick goodbye to everyone, he left the bridge and made his way cautiously toward the cabin Jr. and Shion shared with Mary. He wasn't looking forward to it, but he was almost positive that was where Shion would be.

Shion answered the door, and Jr. wasn't far behind her. Allen averted his eyes so he wouldn't need to look into the cabin. "Allen, what brings you here? Jr., stop it," she said with a laugh as he pulled her back against him, nuzzling her neck.

Allen replied quietly, "I'd really like to talk to you, Shion. And don't think I'm looking to make you angry or anything, Jr., but would it be possible to talk to her alone?"

Jr. eyed him suspiciously. "What could you have to say to her that I can't be around for, Allen? I mean, it's not like Shion and I don't tell each other everything, anyway."

Shion had heard the low tone of urgency in Allen's voice that Jr. had overlooked. She turned to Jr. and told him softly, "I'm going to go and talk with him. You find something to do that won't drive everyone crazy, okay?"

He tightened his arms around her waist and brought his mouth to her ear. "The only one I drive crazy is you, sweetheart," he whispered in that ear and chuckled when he saw her blush. "You go ahead. I think I'll head toward the bridge and see if anything's happening that's important." He kissed her softly, and as he passed by Allen, he gave him an appraising look. "Don't say anything that's going to upset her, got that?"

Allen and Shion entered the lounge and ran into Mary as she was headed toward the door. The look she threw at Shion as she left was very unpleasant. Allen stared at the door for a few seconds before turning to Shion, shaking his head. "It hasn't gotten any better with her?"

Shion sighed heavily. "No, not a bit. Imagine having to share a cabin with her, Allen. She despises me, which means Jr. constantly wants to butt heads with her. The tension is nearly unbearable when the two of them are in there together. Thankfully, it seems as though she keeps herself occupied throughout the day and only comes in to sleep anymore. I wish there was a way to talk to her and end the conflict."

Knowing there wasn't anything he could say that would be helpful about the situation, he nodded in the direction of one of the tables. "Since we're on the subject of talking, do you think we could sit down and have a talk of our own?"

She took a seat across from him, looking confused. "You look really serious, Allen, and it's making me nervous. What is it that you need to speak to me about?"

He was quiet for a minute as he tried to gather his thoughts enough to be able to talk about his feelings rationally. "Shelley found out something at your checkup that she didn't know about. She didn't want to tell me about it, but I managed to convince her that she needed to. Shion, why didn't you tell me you were letting MOMO think you're carrying my child and not Jr.'s?"

Her hands shot to her mouth as her eyes widened. She didn't answer immediately, leading him to wonder if she was going to at all. Finally she said softly, "I guess I never really thought about your involvement in it, Allen. I just knew it would be easier for MOMO to think you and I were still together, and that it was your child I was pregnant with. We weren't talking at the time, and once we began talking again, it never occurred to me to say anything."

Her words hurt Allen deeply. Realizing that his feelings had never once come into play for her afforded him the knowledge that on a basic level, he was still somewhat invisible to her. It was that knowledge that made his tone harsh when he spoke again. "I don't understand how you couldn't think to talk about this with me, Shion. I think I had the right to know that you were letting MOMO think this about your baby."

She covered her face with her hands. Her voice was muffled when she replied. "I'm sorry, Allen. I know now that I should have said something to you. It wasn't fair that you had to hear about it from Shelley."

"No, it wasn't fair that I had to hear it from her. This was something that you should have told me. Apologizing for it now isn't going to change the fact that you kept it from me, Shion, even if it was unintentional from your side. As angry as I am over that, there's something else that I'm wondering about. Why are you letting MOMO think this? She should know the truth. Everyone aboard the Elsa knows about the relationship you and Jr. have, so I think she deserves to know, too."

She quickly uncovered her face, and he saw that her emerald eyes were frantic when she looked at him. "Allen, she can't know about it! She trusts Jr. and me completely, and how do you think she would feel if she found out we're heavily involved and that it's his child I'm carrying? I can't do that to her, at least not over a communication!"

"But it's perfectly okay to hurt me by letting her think that you're carrying my child when you're not?! Shion, do you have any clue just how much the thought of that hurts me? I'd think that by now, you'd know how much I loved you and wanted a future with you. That future included marrying you and someday having children with you. I can't have that future with you now, because it belongs to Jr.! It's not fair to me to expect me to go along with this!" Allen was trembling by the end of his speech, and he turned his head so Shion couldn't see the tears in his eyes.

There was no response from her, and after checking his emotions for the time being, he turned his head back to her. She had her face buried in her arms, and her shoulders were shaking. She was sobbing without sound, and he brought his hand to his forehead to rub at the area between his eyes. He didn't know what to say to her, so he thought it best to say nothing at all. He heard a small sniffle, and she lifted reddened eyes to gaze at him. "I know it's not fair to you, Allen, and I'm so very sorry that I never thought of what this would do to you. But I can't tell her the truth. I just can't!" She got to her feet a little unsteadily. "I'll understand if you hate me for it. You'd have every right to." Tears filled her eyes, and she turned away from him.

He was silent for a time, thinking to himself. She headed in the direction of the door, and that was when his quiet voice stopped her. "I want to ask you something, Shion. How does Jr. feel about all of this? How does he feel about the fact that you're letting MOMO think that his child belongs to me?"

She said just as quietly, "He knows it…has to be done. He's told MOMO things, though, that I didn't know about. He doesn't want her thinking you and I are still happily together."

"So he's having problems with it, too?" he prompted her.

She nodded jerkily. "Yes, but he knows as well as I do that telling MOMO right now isn't an option. She loves him far too much to hear that two people she trusts have destroyed that trust entirely. I think he's doing it mostly because he loves me and knows it's what I believe is the best course of action for now." Tears began sliding down her cheeks, and she once again started toward the door of the lounge.

"Shion." He didn't say anything else, but it was enough to bring her to a halt. She didn't turn back to face him, however. "Will you swear to me that you'll tell her the truth?" That question caused her to spin to him, her mouth open. "If you'll swear that to me, I won't say anything unless directly asked. If I ever end up talking to MOMO, though, and she asks me about it, I won't lie to her. I can't do that."

She seemed at a loss for words for a time. Her mouth worked, but nothing emerged from it. Finally, she gave him a nod. "I will tell her, Allen, and I promise you that. I just can't do it now. I can't break her heart the way I've managed to break yours due to my inability to think things through. I hope that you can find it in you to realize that it was never my intention to hurt you like I have."

He stood up, not willing to concede that to her quite yet. The hurt was still too raw for him. "The fact that I'm willing to stay silent doesn't mean that I'm not still angry over what you've done. It only means that I know exactly where Jr. is coming from when it comes to why he's going along with it. Even after all of this time, I still love you, and I know I always will." His blue eyes were sad when they met her green ones briefly, and then he walked quickly toward the door to leave the lounge.

Jr. and Shelley were both leaving the bridge, Shelley on her way down to the lower level and Jr. back toward the cabin to wait for Shion. Shelley saw Allen as he was headed into the elevator, and she knew by the set of his shoulders that the discussion with Shion could not have gone well. She said, "I must take leave of you here, Little Master. I am quite positive that the Professor is wondering where I am."

Jr. raised an eyebrow and replied, "And it's got nothing to do with the fact that we just saw Allen walk into the elevator, right?" Shelley shot him an aggravated look, and he was about to say more when he saw Shion leaving the lounge. It was obvious that she'd been crying, and without another word to Shelley, he raced off toward her. Shelley rushed in the direction of the elevator to see if she could grab Allen before he started working with the Professor and Scott.

Shion tried to smile at Jr. when he reached her side, but he wasn't buying her act. He drew her into his arms, and she rested her head upon his shoulder. "What happened, sweetheart? What did he say to you to make you cry?" His temper was flaring, and she could feel the anger building in him.

She shook her head against his shoulder. "I wasn't crying for me, Jr. I was crying because I hurt him, and that's not what I was looking to do."

He lifted a hand to stroke her hair gently. "How could you possibly have hurt him? I know he's been kind of quiet the last week or so, but what am I missing here?"

She snuggled against him and said softly, "It's not my place to tell you about it." She heard him draw a breath to say something in answer, and she removed her head from his shoulder as she hurried to say, "You know I wouldn't keep anything from you if I didn't feel I needed to. This is something Allen didn't want you to overhear, and I think I owe him the respect of keeping it that way. If he wants anyone but the two of us to know, he'll tell them."

He moved back slightly so he could slide his hand under her chin and turn her face toward him. Gazing into her eyes, he replied, "I know you're right, and I won't push you to tell me. I just hate it when you cry, and you know that all too well. As long as he wasn't deliberately intending to make you cry, I won't head downstairs and have a word with him."

She slid her arms around his neck. "You, sir, are far too overprotective. I can imagine how you're going to be when our baby makes her appearance."

He chuckled and brushed her mouth with his. "Then I'll have the two of you to take care of, and that's just fine with me. You look tired," he told her, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "How about I bring you into the cabin, and you take a small nap? Since nothing's really going on, I can lay with you and just hold you while you sleep."

She whispered, "I like the sound of that." He took her by the hand, and they disappeared into the cabin.

Shelley was through the elevator door and hurrying toward the workroom when she heard Allen's quiet voice behind her. "If you're looking for me, I haven't gotten very far." She spun around, her lavender hair flying and then settling softly around her shoulders. "I'd take that as you definitely were since you were so quick to turn back." His face was expressionless when she looked at him, but she wasn't fooled by that. She made her way back toward him quickly, taking his hand in hers. "I couldn't face going into that room with the Professor and Scott sure to be shouting back and forth at one another. I needed some time to think about some things."

"Would you like to tell me of what happened, Allen? I do not wish to pry or make you feel as though you have to speak of it, but the thought of you keeping it contained when you are so obviously hurting gives me the certainty that it will not help you. If you are not ready to talk just yet, I will understand, but please know that I am here to listen if needed." She squeezed his hand gently.

He nodded in the direction of her room. "Could we head in there? I don't want the Professor to realize I'm down here." She allowed him to enter the room first, and then she simply stood in silence, waiting for him to get his bearings and not wanting to rush him into speaking. He sighed heavily. "Is it okay if I have a seat? There's so much running through my head right now, and I think I just need to sit down." After she had nodded, he sat down upon the small sofa that she'd put in there to make the room feel more like hers than a simple gunroom that had been converted. She sat beside him, and he gave her a sad smile. "At this point, I'm thinking it would have been better if I'd never opened my mouth to Shion. I didn't think I could feel any worse than I did when you told me about it, but I was wrong."

She placed a hand on his arm in concern. "Allen, how could it have been better for you not to have said anything to Shion and not know why she has allowed such a lie to continue? What did she say to you that would have you speaking such things?"

He raised his hand to his face to cover it. "I don't know that I can go through it again without losing it, Shelley. It was hard enough to keep myself under control when I was talking to her."

She said softly, "You know that you need not control your emotions. However, if you feel that you cannot speak of it, then I am not about to force you." She gave him a small smile when he uncovered his face and then attempted to get to her feet. His hand moved to grab her wrist, and her eyes shot to his. She saw the torment he was in and cried, "Allen, I have never seen you in this much agony! Please talk to me!" Without stopping to think, she circled her arms around him.

He wrapped his arms about her tightly in return. The emotions that had built up inside him caused him to stumble over the words as he spoke. "Th-th-this is really hard for me, Shelley. I'm not…used to thinking about me and how **I **feel. For once, though, I just…want to talk about what I'm thinking and feeling. Wh-wh-when I talked to her about how what you'd told me made me feel…she told me that she'd never once thought about how it would affect me! I can't even begin to tell you how hearing th-that made me feel! Even after the relationship we had, my feelings…didn't even enter her mind when she decided that MOMO needed to think she was pregnant with m-m-my ch-ch-child!" He came to a halt for a minute or two, obviously too overwhelmed to continue. She simply held him, letting him know through her silence that she wasn't going to rush him.

He started again haltingly. "I think…that might be the worst thing, if I'm totally honest with you. Marrying and…having children one day has always been important to me. MOMO thinks I'm going to be a father, but I'm not! How am I supposed to be okay with that? Am I even supposed to be okay with it? I don't really think I can be… And even after I told her how much learning about this hurt me, she told me that she couldn't tell MOMO the truth. My feelings still didn't count for much of anything, Shelley. After all we've been through, I'm still invisible to her on some level, and that wasn't something I needed to hear from her. I think I wanted to hear from her that she just couldn't find a way to tell me, not that she'd never thought about my involvement at all!"

She rested her cheek against his and spoke quietly. "Allen, I wish there was something I could say that would erase this pain for you. Shion's blatant disregard of your feelings on a matter that she should have thought about much more carefully is horrifying. Would she do such a thing willfully, do you believe?"

He pulled back from her regretfully, but having her that close to him was causing him to lose focus on the conversation. While he did still and always would love Shion, it had slowly changed form to the love for a very special friend. Although he knew Shelley wasn't quite ready to hear his true feelings, he didn't think it would be much longer before he could speak to her of them. The feelings that Shion's betrayal had roused in him, though, needed to be dealt with, and he knew that Shelley was willing to listen to anything he had to say about it. "The part of me that's hurting wants to say yes, but the logical part of me that knows Shion says no. She wouldn't have done it to hurt anyone. She was really only looking to protect MOMO, and she just didn't think it through. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier that she did it and didn't give a thought to how I'd feel, though."

She seemed lost in thought for a moment before she finally answered. "I do understand that she was simply trying to protect MOMO, but with a child on the way, Shion needs to think more about others around her."

He took both her hands in his. "I agree with that. Although by the end of our conversation, she did seem to understand what she'd done and was sorry for it."

She protested, "But you said that she refuses to tell MOMO the truth, Allen! So I do not see that she understands how it made you feel at all!"

He squeezed her hands, somewhat shocked to see how emotional she'd become over what he was telling her. "I agreed to keep quiet about it, Shelley." Her eyes widened, and she seemed unable to say anything. "I know you're wondering why I'd do something like that, especially with how it made me feel. I asked her how Jr. felt about the fact that MOMO thinks his child belongs to me. She told me that he's not happy about it, but he knows that it's the only option right now. Then she told me that she thinks he's doing it mostly because he loves her and knows it's what she believes is the best course of action for now. I know exactly how Jr. feels, Shelley," he said, his tone sad and defeated. "I've loved her for so long, and while that love may have changed since our relationship ended and she started a new one with Jr., it hasn't and won't ever disappear. I told her that I won't outright lie to MOMO, though. I can't find it in myself to do that. It's not who I am."

She embraced him again, and his arms slid around her in answer. "That you were able to give her even that much is a testament to what a wonderfully caring human being you are, Allen. You amaze me at what you are capable of doing for people that you love."

He didn't say anything in reply, instead choosing to tighten his arms around her and remain silent as he thought. Something was tickling the outskirts of his mind, but he knew the time wasn't quite right yet. While he was still upset over what Shion had done, the talk with Shelley had helped him to begin forgiving her for something that she hadn't intended to hurt him with. Even with how much he'd loved Shion, he'd always known that she was capable of being somewhat oblivious to things around her, due to her inability to see how he'd truly felt about her. He was beginning to think in another direction now, though, and he found he welcomed the change.

Upstairs, Shion was beginning to stir, her eyes blinking sleepily. She hadn't meant to sleep so deeply, but from the rhythm of Jr.'s breathing, he'd ended up falling asleep as well. She shifted in his arms to face him and smiled softly. Lifting a hand to stroke his cheek gently, she marveled at how peaceful he seemed while sleeping. "You look so innocent when you're asleep, but we both know that's not who you really are," she teased him, snuggling into his chest. His arms tightened around her, and she heard him yawn.

"Damn, I didn't mean to fall asleep," he muttered. He was quiet for a minute, and then he said in a sly tone, "So just how much do you watch me when I'm fast asleep? Am I really that interesting? I'd think I'm much more interesting awake when we're both in this bed."

She reared back to glare at him, her lips pursed angrily. "Oooh, you weren't asleep at all! And you certainly are full of yourself, I hope you know."

He grabbed her hand as she pulled it back to smack him lightly, bringing it to his mouth. He could see her melt instantly, and he pressed a soft kiss to the inside of her wrist before drawing her close. "Hitting an innocent like me is pretty wrong, I hope you know." Before she could do more than open her mouth to retort, his mouth had covered hers, and her ability to think clearly disappeared. They were becoming lost in one another when the sound of the door opening penetrated the sensual haze that had begun to surround them.

His hands slid from her hips, and he groaned. She leaned down to kiss him quickly before shifting off of him. She sat up, hastily rearranging her clothing, and felt him move behind her, putting himself into a position to press soft kisses to her neck.

"Can't ya two knock it off for the time I gotta be in here?" Mary snapped. "Lord, it's bad enough that ya gotta do that while we're tryin' to eat at mealtimes, and I gotta watch it. It ain't like she's gonna get any more pregnant than she already is." She rolled her blue eyes, grabbed a disk from the shelf above her bed, and began walking back toward the door.

Jr.'s eyes narrowed, and Shion brought a hand to her forehead. _It would be so much easier if she could just stay quiet for the time she's in here rather than getting him aggravated. I'm so tired of all the tension, and he won't listen to me about ignoring her._

"Who the hell even asked you, Mary? What, do you think I'm not ever going to touch her again because she's pregnant now? And if we're bothering you so damn much at mealtimes, then stop freakin' looking!" Jr. got to his feet and straightened to his full height.

"Yeah, well, that's kinda tough when the two of ya are so busy shovin' it in all our faces! Tells ya how much shame she's got, anyway, lettin' ya hang all over her like that! She just likes showin' off who she's got in her bed is all!" Mary had stomped over to Jr., her hands planted firmly on her hips.

While Shion ached to say something in return, she didn't have time before Jr. shouted back, "You've got a helluva lot nerve, Mary! She's not showing off, since it's already pretty damn obvious we're sleeping together! Just how the hell do you think she got pregnant in the first place?"

Shion inched toward the door. She couldn't take another one of their battles, not with what she'd already been through with Allen. She knew neither one of them would miss her until one or the other had run out of steam, so she hurried out of the cabin and headed toward the lounge, hoping she could keep from beating her head on the table in frustration.

When she entered, she had her head down, so she didn't see Tony seated at the second table. He glanced up and breathed an inward sigh of relief when he realized that the Little Master wasn't with her. Dealing with just one of them at a time didn't cause him to turn red and stumble away, mumbling to himself. He noticed that she seemed to be somewhat down, so he said, "Hey, Shion, how come you're looking like you lost your best friend?"

Her head lifted, and she smiled at him, but it wasn't a happy smile. "Today has been a horrible day, Tony, and it's not even over yet."

He patted the table in front of him. "Ah, sit down and tell me about it. I needed a break from piloting, anyway. I think I'm starting to get numb in the posterior from all the sitting down I've been doing," he joked, earning a real smile from her for it.

"But you're sitting down now, aren't you? How is that a break?" she asked, her eyebrow raised.

He lifted the bottle he was holding into the air. "Beer makes me forget about a whole lot of things, Shion. Now, how about you sit down and talk to old Tony."

She took a seat across from him, sighing. "It's just been crazy today. First, I find out I've managed to really hurt Allen when I wasn't looking to because I don't ever think things through, and then Jr. and Mary decided they needed to start their usual routine when she came into the cabin a few minutes ago. I couldn't take it, so I left them to it."

Tony zeroed in on the first half of what she'd said. "What are you talking about with Allen? Think you could maybe explain to me?"

She gave another sigh but related to him what exactly had happened with Allen when they'd spoken earlier. Although she'd told Jr. she wanted to respect Allen's wishes, she needed to speak to someone about it who wasn't so close to the matter. "So, I've managed to break his heart because I never thought about how he'd feel, and I swear that's not what I wanted to do," she finished quietly.

He leaned back against the booth, placing his hands behind his head. "Maybe if you just told MOMO the truth, it'd make it all a lot easier, Shion. I know you said Allen agreed to not say anything unless he was asked point-blank, but if you talked to her and told her about you and the Little Master, I'm willing to bet she'd listen. Yeah, she might be pissed off for a while, but I think eventually she'd understand. She's a good kid, after all."

She shook her head at him. "Tony, I've already seriously hurt Allen due to not once thinking of how he'd feel, and I wouldn't blame him if he never wanted to look at me or speak to me again. Do you honestly think I can break MOMO's heart, too? You know how much she adores Jr. How can I say to her that I've taken from her any hope of a future with him? I can't do to her what I've done to Allen! Please don't ask that of me!" Tears filled her green eyes, and she covered her face with her hands.

Knowing Shion's propensity for stubbornness, he decided it was wise to veer away from the subject of MOMO. It was obvious to him that she was distraught over the pain that she'd caused Allen and that she wanted to spare MOMO any amount of hurt she could. However, he wanted to confirm one thing before he gave the subject a rest. "Does that mean you're never going to tell her, Shion? Somehow, I don't think that'll go over well with the Little Master…"

She removed her hands from her face. Her voice was quiet when she answered. "No, it means that I want to tell her when I see her again. Allen had the opportunity to confront me, and I think MOMO deserves that, too. If she wants to yell, scream, or even hit me for doing what I've done, I know I'll deserve it. I won't take the coward's way out and tell her over an open communication."

Tony nodded. In a strange way, her logic did make sense, but he didn't foresee things happening the way she thought they would. "Well, how about we talk about something else that's got you crazy then? Do you think anything might work to make Mary and the Little Master knock all this damn fighting off?"

He watched her eyes narrow in thought, and then she said, "I think I might have an idea, but I'm worried it might not work. It involves my approaching Mary, and we both know how much she dislikes me. Would she be able to put it aside long enough to listen to what I have to say? I'll need some time to work up the willpower to even try it out. I just know something needs to give with them." She gave a sudden gasp. "Oh, it's almost dinner time, and I'm nearly positive that kitchen duty belongs to Jr. and me!"

Tony was about to answer when everyone began to enter the lounge, and Hammer came in from the kitchen. He set a plate down in front of Tony with a roll of his eyes, and Tony chuckled. "Nah, this would be one of the times that Hammer got roped into because he lost at that card game. So, you're fine. Uh, I think Little Master's looking for you, Shion," he said, his face turning red before he abandoned talking to her and started devouring his food.

She got to her feet and turned to face Jr., her posture stiff. He slid his arm around her waist and hauled her against him. "Hey, why'd you take off like that? I thought we were going to pick up where we left off when we got interrupted."

She averted her face haughtily. "Oh, so how long did it take you to notice that I was even missing? I'm pretty sure I was the last thing on your mind when you were busy battling it out with Mary."

"Shion, I got enough of a damn attitude from Mary just before. I sure as hell don't need one from you now, too. I'm starving, and I'd like to eat in peace without having us at one another's throats." He took hold of her chin and tried to turn her face toward him, but she resisted.

"Then you should go and eat," she told him, pulling away from him. "I'm not very hungry right now." She started to storm off, but he caught her wrist with his hand.

"You need to eat, for the baby's sake. I've gotten the damn message that you're pissed off at me for some as yet unknown reason, but don't walk out of here without sitting down and having something to eat." He nodded in the direction of the tables.

She yanked her hand out of his grasp. "I'll come back later to have something to eat. At this point, I don't think I'd enjoy the company!" She managed to evade him this time, and she rushed out of the lounge.

He wanted to follow her, but for once, he actually thought first before taking action. Going after her now would only result in their fighting more, and he knew it was better if he allowed her the time to cool off before he tried talking to her again. Ignoring everyone else's stares, he sat down across from Captain Matthews and told Hammer, "I'm staying to eat, so I'd appreciate it if you'd bring out my dinner." Hammer hurried into the kitchen to do as he'd been ordered.

After dinner, he convinced the Elsa crew to remain behind for a card game and a few drinks. Shion had come in briefly, tilted her head haughtily, and quickly headed into the kitchen. He ached to go after her and try to sort things out, but the look she gave him as she passed by with her dinner told him she was still extremely angry about whatever it was she'd gotten upset over in the first place. Tony yawned after one card game had turned into three. "Look, I'm beat. I'm gonna go check and make sure that she's still going along smoothly, and then I'm passing out for the night. Later." He made a stumbling path toward the door and disappeared.

Hammer and Matthews weren't far behind him. They both looked like they were about to fall asleep at the table, and Matthews was growling at Hammer for not cleaning up after dinner. Hammer sighed. "I'll clean it up in the morning. If I don't, Mary and Tony will drag me into the kitchen, and then I'll be stuck making breakfast. Night, Little Master." Matthews merely nodded to Jr. as he left, weaving slightly.

Jr. hauled himself to his feet. "She can't still be mad after all this time," he muttered to himself. "If she is, then she'd better tell me just what the hell got her so damn mad to begin with. It can't be just hormones." He made his way toward the cabin, and he was relieved that when he got there, Mary was already fast asleep in her bed. Shion was brushing out her hair in preparation for going to sleep herself as she sat on the bed. He hurried over to her, and she looked away from him. "Look, Shion, what's got you so pissed off at me?" he demanded to know.

She refused to answer, choosing instead to place the brush on the shelf above their bed and lay down. He grabbed a pair of boxers and quickly undressed, slipping into them and then getting into bed beside her. She stiffened when he tried to pull her close to him. "You've been drinking," she accused him.

He said hotly, "Yeah, I have been! Maybe it was the only way I could deal with the fact that you've been giving me the damn evil eye or just plain avoiding me ever since dinner! What the hell's going on, Shion?"

"It's nothing," she huffed, pulling on the sheets. "Could you give me at least my half of the sheets? Would that be too much to ask?"

He shifted position so she was beneath him, taking her chin in his hand to force her to meet his gaze. "I'll be damned if I'm letting you go to sleep pissed off at me! Or if you have to, you're at least going to tell me just why you are so I'm not left wandering in the damn dark!"

"I'm tired of it, Jr.!" she fumed. "I'm tired of you acting the way you do when Mary comes in here and starts the same thing she's been doing ever since you moved into the cabin! I can't stand listening to the fighting anymore! Just because she has to act that way doesn't mean you have to, does it?" Her emerald eyes were blazing furiously at him.

"So I should just let her get away with the crap she says about you?" he snapped. "That's not going to happen, and you damn well know it! I love you, and listening to her talk about you that way when none of it is true pisses me off!"

Trying to keep her voice down so as not to awaken Mary and have her witness their fight, she snapped back, "I know you're trying to protect me from her hurtful words, but shouting at her is only going to make her worse! She knows she's antagonizing you into responding, and that's exactly what she's looking for! Can't you stop giving her that reaction?" His lack of response and the way his eyes blazed back at her gave her an answer, although it wasn't the one she'd been looking for. She placed a hand against his chest and pushed him off of her. Rolling onto her side, she hissed, "I'm going to sleep. Good night, Jr."

His eyes widened at that, and he said in disbelief, "Shion, when have we ever gone to sleep mad at each other? You can't be serious!" There was no reply from her, although he felt her tense when he touched her shoulder. She yanked on the sheets once, nearly spilling him from the bed, and then he heard her breathing even out. "She really fell asleep," he said in wonder. "What the hell just happened?"

_Trouble in paradise, I take it?_ Albedo's sly voice crept into his head. _The princess sounded rather irritated with you, Rubedo. If it were me, I'd shake her awake and let her know that it's quite rude to allow a conversation to go unfinished like that._

Jr. growled back, "Shaking her awake isn't going to help. She'll just get pissed that I woke her up. Besides, she needs her rest so our little one can keep growing." Hoping he wouldn't disturb her, he slid his arm over her, and his hand moved beneath her satin top to caress her stomach gently. In her sleeping state, she pressed back against him with a sigh.

_You seem to be a bit uncomfortable, Rubedo. Just touching her does that to you? Or is it because she moved back against you as she did?_ Albedo's questions might have been attributed to curiosity if there still hadn't been that sly tone lurking beneath them.

Jr. clenched his teeth. "Do you mind not paying such close attention to how my body's reacting, Albedo? It's humiliating, especially since I can't do a damn thing about it."

_That's a difficult thing to do, considering we share the same body. How do you suggest I ignore the response she causes in you?_ Albedo could sense the ire rising in his twin and decided it was wise to stop antagonizing him. _Moving on to a less provoking topic, do you plan on addressing the issue when she awakens? The two of you have a tendency to fight furiously, but it rarely lasts this long. She surprises me that she's been able to hold on to that flame of rage for as long as she has. Usually, all you need do is touch her in – _

"Albedo, shut up!" Jr. threw at him, keeping his voice down to keep from awakening both women in the room. "Dammit, I'm going to sleep. It's enough that I've got this problem with Shion; I don't need you talking about where I've touched her!" He slammed his head back against his pillow, seeking the oblivion of sleep.

--- A week and a half later… ---

Shion had finally decided that she couldn't put off approaching Mary any longer. She was speaking to Jr., but things were still tense between them. She knew he'd been hurt by the fact that she'd gone to sleep angry with him that night, but she simply hadn't wanted to continue fighting. She'd also been worried about whether or not Allen would try to avoid her after their discussion, but after a few days, he'd started talking to her again. He was somewhat guarded in his tone when they spoke, but she had been expecting that. _At least he doesn't seem to hate me for being a thoughtless idiot. I think sometimes he's too soft-hearted for his own good, but I'm happy that he found it within himself to somehow begin to forgive me. I'd miss him so much if we stopped talking again. Now if only I can get Jr. and Mary to sit down and discuss what caused them to stop talking to one another and start acting like vicious animals when they have any kind of contact. If I can do that, then maybe Jr. and I can talk afterward and stop tiptoeing around each other. Well, I know Mary just headed into the lounge, so I'd better get moving if I want to catch her._

She saw Mary the instant she entered the lounge, leaning over a table and cleaning up after everyone had had breakfast. Mary didn't like to clean up immediately, and Tony tended to leave her to it, which annoyed her even more. She was grumbling to herself when Shion halted a few feet from her. She glanced up and aimed a baleful look at her. "Lord, it's too early for me to have to look at ya again. Don't ya have somethin' else to do? I got dishes and such I gotta wash."

Shion's hackles raised, but she checked her temper for the time being. "I'd like to talk to you, Mary. I'm sure you wouldn't mind taking time away from cleaning up."

Mary said in a falsely sweet voice, "If it were someone else wantin' to take me away from cleanin' up, I'd be thrilled three ways from Sunday to oblige. Since it ain't no one I wanna talk with, I'll just keep doin' this, if ya don't mind." She returned to stacking up the plates at the end of the table and then proceeded to wipe down the table with the washcloth she held.

Shion gnawed at her lip for a few seconds before speaking again. "Okay, Mary, if that's how you want it to be, I'm perfectly capable of giving you attitude to get you to listen. Look, I'm sick and tired of listening to you and Jr. fight! I know you hate me because you've made it painfully obvious, but if you were any kind of friend, you'd be able to put that aside for the sake of the friendship you have with him! I've never been nasty or cruel in return to you, so you can't even pull that to justify your actions! I think it's time you got over whatever caused you to start acting this way, and talked to him about it!"

Mary laughed harshly. "And ya think he'd even bother listenin' after all this time? If the Little Mastah ain't stubborn, then I don't know what is! He ain't gonna care why I feel the way I do, and ya know it as well as I do!"

Shion said quietly, "If I can get him to agree to sit down and talk to you, would you be willing to do so? I'm not going to ask him and have him say he will, only to have you turn around and back out of it."

Mary narrowed her eyes at Shion. "Just why are ya even doin' this to begin with? Ya know I don't like ya, and yet ya came in here tryin' to talk to me anyhow. I can't figure it out."

Shion responded softly, "Because how Jr. feels is important to me, and I know he's been hurting ever since you stopped talking to him. He won't admit it right now, but he cares a lot about you, and he misses you. You don't have to like me, Mary, but you don't have to abandon him, either. So please agree to discuss things with him. I'm not guaranteeing that will change anything, but letting it go on the way it has been won't help, either."

Mary picked up the dishes and turned away from Shion. "Fine, ya convinced me to give it a shot. Now ya gotta see if ya can do the same with the Little Mastah. Bet ya can't." She made her way into the kitchen without another word to Shion.

Shion located Jr. in the last place she would have thought he'd be, the hangar that had once housed the E.S.s. She moved up behind him quietly, unsure of how to approach him about speaking with Mary. He turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Shion?" he said, his tone guarded.

She thought to herself, _I miss you. I miss you turning to me and sliding your arms around my waist and pulling me close to you. I miss your kisses and the way you touch me. I miss US._ She replied, her tone just as guarded, "I'd like to talk to you about something, Jr. Do you have time right now?"

His hand itched to lift to her hair and stroke it gently. _I miss you, sweetheart. I miss being able to haul you close to me and cover your mouth with mine. I miss your sweet, little caresses when you're above me. I miss you and me. _He said aloud, "Yeah, I've got time. I just ended up down here to think about some stuff is all."

It was hard for her not to touch him as she spoke because touching was an intrinsic part of their relationship. She clasped her hands together and turned away from him to bring the impulse under control. "I guess I'll just come out and say it rather than looking for a way to lead up to it." She didn't see his eyes fill with sudden worry or his hand reach out to touch her only to drop limply against his side. If she had, she would have rushed to assure him she wasn't attempting to end their relationship. Instead, she took a deep breath before saying what she needed to say. "I think it's time you spoke to Mary about what's been going on between the two of you. She's agreed to talk, so it's only you that has to agree now. Can you do that?"

He was silent for a long enough time that she became nervous and spun to face him. He'd apparently been waiting for her to do just that, because right after he bit out his reply. "Let me see if I've got this right, Shion. We've barely been talking to each other for the last damn week and a half, and the only time we touch is when you're sleeping and press back against me. But my talking to Mary is more important than that?!"

She cried, "No, it's not more important than that! I just think that if you talk to Mary, you'll feel much better! I want things to get sorted out between you two!"

He began to pace. "I'm more interested in sorting things out between you and me. Mary is not the woman I love, and at this point, I couldn't care less if she wants to talk, Shion."

She managed to stay where she was when every instinct in her body was screaming at her to go to him and halt his pacing. "Jr., I know how hurt you are that she's been acting the way she is. I'm just trying to help because I love you!"

He came to an abrupt stop. "Then why have we been acting this way with each other, dammit? I'm tired of this distance between us, and I want to know why it's even there to begin with!"

"Because ever since that night I fell asleep, you've been holding me at arm's length! I know I hurt you because I did that, but I just couldn't fight anymore! I'd had more than enough of it that day, and I just wanted the day to end. I'm sorry," she said brokenly.

The overprotective side in Jr. rose up in full force, and he rushed to her to take her in his arms. With a sob, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm an idiot," he told her. "I should have talked to you instead of wallowing in the hurt I was feeling over your falling asleep. Any other damn time I can't ever keep my mouth shut, and the time I should have said something, I don't. I'm sorry, sweetheart." He tightened his arms about her.

"We're both idiots," she answered with a sound caught somewhere between a laugh and a sob. "Oh, Jr., I've missed you so much!" She lifted her head from his shoulder and brought a hand to his cheek, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"I've missed you a helluva lot more, sweetheart." His mouth captured hers in a fiercely possessive kiss, and she leaned into him to run her fingers through his scarlet hair after she'd slid her arm around his neck again. He pulled back after a time, breathing heavily. "Okay, we've got a week and a half to make up for, but I sure as hell don't want it to take place in the hangar. Besides, you asked me if I'd be willing to agree to talk to Mary, didn't you?" She nodded hesitantly. "All right, I'll try talking to her. I'm not going to guarantee it won't end up as a shouting match, though. Did she give you an attitude when you talked to her?"

She knew there was no sense in lying, because he'd know right away. "She did, but she agreed in the end. I think that's the more important thing to remember."

He took her arm from around his neck to thread his fingers through hers. "Yeah, I guess you're right. How about I talk to her tonight before we all go to bed? That way I won't have to borrow the lounge for yet another conversation."

"That's fine. I can keep occupied for a while. I was thinking of talking to Allen and seeing if he wouldn't mind if I asked the Professor about helping them out a little. I've gotten this urge to keep busy lately, and that would be the perfect thing for me." She cast a glance at him.

He raised an eyebrow. "If you want to subject yourself to that crazy old man, I won't stop you, but I bet you'll be crying off after the first day. And don't go too far tonight, sweetheart." When she questioned why, he only shook his head. "Just promise me you'll stay close." After extracting the promise from her, he kissed her softly. "I missed you so damn much. Only feeling you this close when you were asleep was making me a little uncomfortable, you know." He gave her a narrow-eyed look when she laughed and cut her laugh short with one last kiss before leading her in the direction of the stairs so they could return to the upper level.


	22. Confrontation & Taking The Next Step

**Author's note – **It's been a while since I updated, at least when you think about how quickly I tend to update. XD Anyway, I've been hard at work on this chapter nearly the entire time (with a few days off to relax!) I'm going to warn you in advance that this chapter is monstrous. The ideas just wouldn't stop flowing! Please don't feel obligated to read it all in one shot, because I would understand if you needed a break and then came back to finish it up. I think this one steps away from the drama and angst that's been going on, at least once the confrontation is over with. I'm hoping you all like it. As always, let me know!

Later on that night, Jr. was standing just outside the cabin, his arms wrapped loosely around Shion's waist. "Okay, I just saw her head in there, so I guess I'll go and catch her before she goes to sleep." He brought his mouth to her ear and murmured, "Remember that you're going to stay close, sweetheart."

She nodded, but her voice was confused when she answered. "I know, and I'll only go as far as the bridge or the lounge. Are you going to tell me just why I have to stay close, though? You're not acting like you were before you had to talk to Shelley. Thank goodness," she whispered, her eyes filling with memories he wanted to someday help her forget.

"I swore to you that I would never do that to you again, and I meant it. I never want to put you through that pain ever again, sweetheart." He took one of his arms from around her waist and brought his hand to her cheek. She leaned into it, giving him a small smile. "There's a reason I want you to stay close, but you don't need to know what it is quite yet. Wish me luck."

She kissed him softly. "I know you'll be fine. Just don't let anything she says get under your skin. Try to listen to one another and find out what's been going on. Now, get going before she falls asleep." She gave him a gentle push in the direction of the door and watched him disappear through it.

Mary looked up when she saw Jr. enter, averting her glance when she saw he was looking straight back at her. "Don't ya worry," she huffed. "I'm goin' to sleep, so y'all can have your privacy." As she was about to lay down, she heard him say her name in an odd tone. Her gaze swung to him quickly. "Did ya need somethin'?"

Jr. sat down on the bed across from her. Inside he was shaking, wondering just what the confrontation with Mary would bring. Outwardly, he seemed composed for the moment. "I just wanted to know if you're willing to try and talk things over, Mary. Shion told me you'd agreed to it, but I want to make sure before I make an idiot of myself."

Her blue eyes narrowed. "So she was able to convince ya then? I gotta be honest and say I didn't think ya'd want to be anywhere near me." He remained silent, awaiting her reply to his question. "Yeah, I'm willin' to try. Don't know how much good it'll do, but it's gotta be better than what I been dealin' with, anyway."

He stood up, and confusion spread across her face. "Mary, the only way this is going to work is if Shion's here. I think she deserves to hear just what the hell's been going on. So, if you really want to talk, you'd better be willing to accept that condition. If you're not, then the conversation won't even start."

She was quiet for a minute or two, mulling over what he'd said. "I ain't got much choice, right?" she sighed finally. "Might as well see how it goes, so go on and get her." She placed her hands on the bed and leaned back, watching him as he disappeared from the cabin in a quick search for Shion.

He located her in the lounge, talking to Allen. He overheard her say, "Are you sure that you'd be all right with it, Allen? I don't want to force my way in, even if I just want to keep busy."

Allen's reply was low, but Jr. was still able to catch it. "Yeah, it's okay. There's nothing wrong with you wanting to keep busy. I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into," he told her with a chuckle.

Shion jumped slightly when Jr.'s arms slid around her waist from behind. "Jr., you can't be done talking to her already! If you are, it couldn't have gone well at all!"

Jr. nodded to Allen, who seemed to understand immediately. Allen moved away and headed off in the direction of the kitchen. Jr. said quietly, "No, I haven't even started talking to her. I told her that if she wanted to talk things over, I had one condition. I want you to be there so you know what's been going on. You're just as involved, and I'm going to find out why the hell she treats you the way she does."

She resisted when he tugged on her hand. "Jr., I don't think it's a good idea. It might make her feel as though she's being backed into a corner, and she won't want to talk about it. I should just stay here and wait for you."

He squeezed her hand lightly. "She agreed to it, so no more stalling, sweetheart. No matter how it turns out, at least it'll all be out in the open. So come on." She sighed, but there was no more resistance from her when he pulled her out of the lounge and toward the cabin.

She balked again when they reached the door. "Jr., you need to do this without me. Mary doesn't like me at all, and I don't want to have the discussion start off on an ugly note. So you go ahead back in, and I'll head back to the lounge." She attempted to pull her hand from his, and he slid an arm around her waist to keep her from bolting on him.

"Shion, why are you trying to avoid this? Do you know something that I don't? If you do, you need to tell me now before we walk into that room and confront her." He pinned her in place with a look, and when she tried to turn her head, he took hold of her chin. "Shion, what aren't you telling me?"

She shook her head hard. "I don't know anything, and I'm not keeping something from you! It's just…I'm scared, Jr. She's hated our relationship from the start, just like she's hated me since you got involved with me. I don't know if I want to know why after all of this time."

His blue eyes softened, and he leaned forward to press his mouth against hers. When he pulled back, he said to her quietly, "I'm scared, too, but it's time to resolve this whole damn thing. Come on, we're doing this together, and you've got me right by your side. Ready?" She took a deep breath before nodding and then followed him into the cabin.

Mary looked up, and immediately her blue eyes grew stormy. "Well, come on and let's get this goin'. I'm gettin' tired, and I ain't in much o' a mood to have it drag out all night."

Jr. held up a hand. "Let's get something straight, Mary. You're not going to start this off with an attitude because Shion's here now. I asked you if you were willing to accept her presence, and you agreed to it. So knock it the hell off."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Are ya ever gonna get to the whole point of this talk, or are ya just gonna keep on demandin' stuff? Here I was thinkin' we were gonna talk stuff over, and ya ain't asked nothin' yet. Ya just keep bringin' **her** into it."

Shion squeezed Jr.'s hand tightly, and he closed his mouth with an audible snap. After both of them had taken a seat on the bed, she said to Mary, "Okay, we'll discuss things then. Do you mind telling us just why you've been so confrontational since Jr. and I decided to give a relationship a chance? From what he's told me, you were the one who actually forced him to stop ignoring his feelings and try talking to me about them."

Mary turned sulky. "Yeah, keep remindin' me o' **that** mistake, why don't ya? If I'd known the two o' ya were gonna be all over each other, I'da done stuff a bit differently. It makes me sick to watch y'all."

Jr.'s spine stiffened, and Shion couldn't keep him from retorting. "We're not any different than two other people who are in love would be! What the hell do you want us to do, Mary? Pretend as though we're not in a damn relationship and ignore each other?"

Mary folded her arms across her chest and tilted her face haughtily. "Normal people don't go flauntin' it all over! All the kissin' and touchin' just ain't right! Ya never did none o' that with no one else, so why's it gotta be her?"

Shion brought a hand to Jr.'s mouth when he was about to reply. She heard him make an irritated noise, but a sudden thought had occurred to her. She wanted to give voice to it and see where it would lead. "Mary, I'm going to ask you a very personal question, and I'm hoping you won't get offended by it. I'm aware that you don't like me, though I don't know why, but don't think I'm asking this to upset you. Are you in any way, shape, or form still in love with Jr.?"

She felt Jr. start in surprise, and his head swiveled toward her. "Shion, what are you talking about? Mary and I were never in love! I mean, yeah, we slept together off and on, but it wasn't ever like that. We were just really good friends."

She said quietly, "I didn't direct the question at you. I want an answer from Mary. Please let her answer on her own." His eyes narrowed, but he refrained from saying anything else for the moment.

Mary's eyes had also narrowed, but in thought. She was silent for some time, and Shion was beginning to feel nervous that Mary was either not going to answer at all or come back at her with one of her usual angry remarks. Finally, she seemed to stir enough for a reply. "Why would ya even ask somethin' like that? It ain't like I tried somethin' funny with him or nothin."

Shion whispered, "Because while we've been talking, I've been watching you, Mary. I see my feelings for him in your eyes."

Jr.'s mouth fell open. He sat there for a minute or two, at a loss for words. Eventually, he managed to close his mouth and stumble over what he wanted to say. "Y-y-you're not s-s-seriously in love with m-m-me, are you? We were always just friends, Mary!"

Mary covered her face with her hands. She'd never expected the conversation to take this turn, and she hadn't been prepared for Shion to analyze her so correctly. "I know ya never felt the same for me, Little Mastah, and that's why I hid it like I did. I'd let ya come to my bed and show ya how much I loved ya in the only way I could, but ya never seemed to notice. Ya got what ya wanted and moved on. I got used to it and got to where I just accepted it, best as I could. Didn't mean I loved ya any less."

Trying to process the new information he'd just been given, Jr. cried, "Then why the hell did you keep bugging me about facing my feelings for Shion? You're not making any goddamn sense!"

Now that she'd been given the opportunity to divulge all of the feelings she'd been containing within her and concealing with her anger, everything seemed to pour from Mary easily. "I didn't think she'd ever love ya back! I just wanted ya to admit how ya felt, have her tell ya it'd never work, and then ya'd think about movin' on! I wanted ya to be free o' what ya felt for her, so there'd be room enough in your heart for me!" Tears began sliding rapidly over her cheeks, and she dashed at them angrily. "I ain't gonna get all emotional over this. Ain't no sense to it now, anyway. Nothin' worked out the way I thought it was gonna."

Jr. was obviously in too much of a shocked state to say anything, so Shion took up the conversation. "Why didn't you think I could love him back, Mary?"

Mary sighed heavily. "Ya don't know Little Mastah like I do. Ya ain't been there to know what all he's been through because o' not bein' able to grow and worryin' he'll never have kids. Havin' people thinkin' he was just a kid when he wasn't really bugged him, but he tried real hard to keep anybody from knowin'. He always put on a happy face, even when it was killin' him inside. Ya weren't there for none o' that. I don't see how ya could love him when ya don't really know him."

Jr. seemed to have regained his senses, and he slid an arm around Shion's waist to pull her close. "Mary, she knows me better than almost anyone. You're right in that you suffered through all that with me, but there are things about me now that Shion knows and you don't. My whole problem with this is that I thought I knew you, and it turns out I didn't. The Mary I knew couldn't have done something like that."

Shion put a hand on his arm. "Jr., we all do things we'd never think we're capable of when we're in love. I can't blame her for wanting you to see how much she cares for you. And her surprise at our ending up together isn't any different from everyone else's reaction. Did you ever think I'd be willing to give a relationship with you a chance?"

Jr. muttered, "No, and you knew that without even asking." His blue-eyed gaze returned to Mary. "So when Shion and I got together, you weren't happy about it. I've got that. You didn't get nasty as all hell until we announced she was pregnant. Care to explain that one?"

Mary's reply was quiet. "When y'all made it clear the relationship was a go, I didn't ever think it'd last. Not like ya can blame me. She wasn't with Allen all that long, so I figured she'd break your heart just the same, Little Mastah. Then ya come along sayin' she's carryin' your baby, and it don't make no sense, but I ain't worried about that right now. Ya were even more attached to her because o' all that, and when she decided she'd had enough and was movin' on, ya'd be devastated because ya thought she was havin' your baby. I was scared o' what it all might do to ya. I knew how much ya loved her; I could see it in your eyes whenever ya looked at her, and after all ya'd been through, ya didn't deserve no more heartache."

Jr. pointed out, "But you thought it was okay to send me in Shion's direction, hoping she'd tell me she didn't want me."

Mary pursed her lips. "Never said my thinkin' was all that logical. Besides, her tellin' ya that from the get-go woulda hurt less than when she told ya later on down the road she was tired of ya. Don't matter now anyhow. I know it ain't been obvious from how I been actin', but I realized somewhere along the way that she loved ya. If y'all lasted this long, I ain't seein' a need to worry no more. But I gotta tell ya that I got my own grievances to air, so how 'bout ya both just sit on back and let me say what I gotta say now?"

Jr. started to say something, but a look from Shion silenced him. "You've got just as much right to say what you're feeling, Mary. If this is ever going to be completely resolved, we all need to say what we're thinking and see what happens from there."

Mary's gaze shot to Jr., who raised an eyebrow at her. "Ya say I got all nasty and such when y'all announced the pregnancy, but I'm gonna get real technical here and say that ain't right. It wasn't 'til ya forced your way in here that I got to actin' like that. It was outright wrong of ya to think ya could do that and I'd be just peachy with it. Ya drove Shelley outta here without so much as an apology to her, and ya didn't even think to ask how I felt 'bout sharin' a room with the two o' ya."

Jr. threw up his hands in exasperation. "Was it so damn much to ask that Shion and I share the same bed?"

Mary shook her head, surprising the two of them. "Nah, makes sense. The problem was that ya didn't ask; ya just decided it was gonna be the way it was. Didn't seem to me as though Shion fought ya all that hard when ya demanded your way. She was too busy thinkin' 'bout sharin' a bed with ya all the time."

Shion was outraged. "I **did **fight him, Mary! I told him that you and Shelley were living in the cabin, too, and it wasn't right to expect the two of you to accept his presence without any problems!" Suddenly, a thoughtful expression settled upon her face. She was quiet for a long enough time that Jr. squeezed her around the waist, and she directed the thoughtful look toward him. "I could have fought you harder," she said. "If I'd really been as worried as I acted about Mary's and Shelley's reactions, I would have found a way to make you realize it was wrong to think you could just move in the way you did."

Mary waved a hand dismissively. "Don't matter none now. It's done and can't be changed. I just wasn't 'bout to let ya drive me outta here. Even though I gotta admit that hearin' some of the stuff I heard made me think real hard 'bout that sometimes."

Jr. glanced at her, eyes narrowed speculatively. "Mary, you sleep like the dead. And I made sure you were asleep before I ever laid a hand on Shion."

Mary's voice was full of quiet hurt when she answered. "No, ya thought I was asleep, or ya wanted to believe I was anyhow. I wasn't always, and hearin' ya cry her name out the way ya did broke my heart. It wasn't fair to me to expect me to ignore that kinda stuff. And it wasn't fair to think I had to stay outta here unless I was comin' in to sleep just in case the two o' ya were in the middle o' some funny business. It's my room, too, and maybe there were times I just wanted to take a break and relax. Sad thing was, I couldn't ever do that for fear o' what I might be walkin' in on, and did more times than I can count."

Both Jr. and Shion seemed at a loss for words now. Neither of them said anything, and so Mary decided to continue. "And ya knew what Shelley was sufferin', Little Mastah, and ya still thought it was okay to waltz on in here like we all had to put up and shut up. How could ya do that to her?"

Jr. protested, "I had no idea what the hell was going on with Shelley until she told me! All I knew was that she seemed to want to avoid me…" He ground to a halt, realizing what he'd said.

"Knowin' that was enough, and it was plain selfish of ya not to think 'bout anyone else's feelin's in the matter. Ya got a lil' one on the way, and ya gotta start thinkin' 'bout how your actions affect everyone else. That lil' one's gonna be dependin' on ya after all." Mary said that last with a small, slightly sad smile.

Shion's hands moved to rest upon her stomach, and Jr.'s hands were quick to cover them. "You're right, Mary. Jr. and I need to start thinking a bit more clearly than we have been." She was quiet for a few seconds, obviously busy pondering something in her head. Finally, her eyes met Mary's. "I know it's a little late to be saying this now, but if it would help, Jr. and I could stop," here her face suffused with color before she continued on, "doing **that** and making you feel the way you have been."

Mary watched Jr.'s eyes swing toward Shion wildly, and she couldn't help but laugh. "Ya don't gotta go that far, Shion. Just maybe remember that I'm livin' in here, too, and could use some time to rest and relax a bit. If ya think some funny business might be rearin' its head, just be kind enough to leave some kinda clue at the door for me. That work for ya? Besides, ain't no need for me to get all worked up over the two o' ya doin' that no more. I'm plain tired of bein' mad all the time, and I know ya got what it takes to last and all. I just wanna be normal, ol' Mary again. Bein' mad takes too much energy for me," she said with dramatic flair, and they all laughed this time.

"So, is it safe to say we're maybe back on the road to being okay with each other?" Jr. questioned. "Because I really have to say I'm tired of the constant fighting myself." He saw Shion's eyes narrow at him in annoyance, and he grinned at her. "Well, I am. Didn't mean I was gonna give in, and you know that all too well, sweetheart."

Mary shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Little Mastah, stubborn to the bitter end. Anyway, I'm plain tuckered out over here, so I'm headin' off to dreamland, if ya don't mind. I'm glad we seem to have got it sorted mostly. If I had one more tussle with the Little Mastah, I was gonna beat my head or his head against the wall." She shot them a teasing smile, and then she pulled back her sheets, laying down and turning away from them. Her final thought before slumber washed over her was, _Well, it's safe to say I'm feelin' better now that that's all done and over with…_

After both had gotten into their nightclothes, Shion snuggled down into their bed, with Jr. close behind her. He pulled her back against him, and she said softly, "That went much better than I could have hoped for. Although she told us some things that I don't think I ever really thought about and should have."

Jr. nuzzled the side of her neck. "You realize that one of your greatest fears has come true, right? You were worried about someone seeing or overhearing us, and now we know that Mary did." He swore right then that he'd never tell her about Tony walking in on them, because he could already feel the flush rising in her. Looking to avert her attention from something he realized too late he should have kept quiet about, he said, "But you're right. It's good that we've all talked about how we were feeling and got it out in the open the way we did. I'd say at the end, the old Mary was well on her way to making a return. It's been really damn weird fighting with her all of this time."

She turned to him and kissed him softly. "No need to worry about that anymore, it seems. We'll see how it is in the morning, but I'd say the worst is over. Now, I'm going to sleep because I'm exhausted. I love you," she whispered, nestling into his embrace.

"I love you back," he murmured and kissed the top of her head. He heard her breathing settle into a pattern that indicated she had fallen asleep, and he smiled, not feeling tired enough to close his eyes just then.

_My God, Rubedo, you certainly do live a rather strife-filled life_, Albedo said, his annoyance obvious from his tone. _I used to wonder just why I was unable to stay peacefully slumbering, but I have now received my answer. One could never sleep through all the racket you would simply call living. _

Jr. laughed quietly. "I'm hoping you'll see a lot less 'strife' now, but I'm not in the business of making guarantees. Once the little one gets here, life should be pretty hectic. Think you can handle it?"

Albedo huffed, _It's not like I have much choice in the matter. Thankfully, I still have time to prepare for the impending doom…er, delivery. A simple slip of the tongue, that's all_, he said innocently when he felt the irritation rising in his twin. _Now, if you don't mind, I'm exhausted myself from just listening to the conversation. Good night, Rubedo. _

His presence was gone before Jr. could do more than shake his head at his twin, and deciding it wasn't worth the effort of chasing his brother's consciousness down, Jr. gathered Shion close and closed his eyes, giving in to the sleep that had suddenly begun tugging at him.

After breakfast the next morning, at which everyone stared at Jr., Shion, and Mary in shock when they talked to one another normally, Shion turned to face Jr. "I think I'm going to head downstairs and see if the Professor is willing to take on someone else. Allen seemed to think he'd make a giant fuss over it, like he does over just about everything, but that he'd end up giving in. I won't know if I don't go and find out."

He slid his arms around her waist. "If you're not back right away, two things will happen. First, I'm going to be really damn shocked." She laughed, and he shot her a grin before kissing her quickly. "Second, I'll be down to visit you later on to make sure everything is going okay. I don't trust that old man around you and our little one. He's too freakin' nuts."

She teased, "You're going to give yourself gray hair from worrying so much about me and the baby."

He raised a hand to his hair self-consciously. "I know I'm finally starting to grow, but the idea of gray hair isn't something that sits real well with me, sweetheart. So let's not discuss that, okay?" He captured her giggle with his mouth, and she leaned into him with a sigh. He pulled back and told her quietly, "I'll see you in a little while. If he gives you a hard time, don't be afraid to give him one back. Or come find me and I'll do it for you."

She said playfully, "Yes, Mr. Overprotective. I think I'm starting to see the gray creeping in." She hurried from the lounge to his mock cry of outrage, covering her mouth with her hand to hide her smile.

Not much later, she was listening to the Professor shout and stomp about after she'd asked him if he could use any more help. "Does it look like I need any more help, girly? This room's got a maximum capacity, it does, and Assistant Lavender has already exceeded that limit! Just what can you do that I haven't gotten out of her already?"

She tried to keep the irritation out of her voice when she answered. Convincing him to allow her to help meant that she needed to stay as calm as possible. "I was Chief of the KOS-MOS project, and you're already well-aware of that fact. I'm more than competent enough to aid you in your work down here."

He chortled. "Was is indeed correct, girly! If memory serves me, and I know it does despite my age, you left said project in the hands of Assistant #2! Leaving a project unfinished isn't a quality I look for in assistants, so you just go right on back to the upper level." He turned his back on her and headed over to Scott.

Shelley saw Shion's shoulders slump as she turned to leave. She spoke up quietly. "Professor, I do believe that we have more than enough to keep every one of us occupied, and that would include Shion. Would you not reconsider allowing her to stay?" Shelley was far from the type to hold onto a grudge, and despite not agreeing with Shion's decision to continue keeping the secret from MOMO, she knew that the right to remain angry with her belonged to Allen. She had discussed it at length with him, and he had told her that he simply couldn't avoid Shion. She meant far too much to him as a friend, and Shelley knew he was also letting her know subtly that he didn't want her to destroy her friendship with Shion. He didn't care for dissension, especially if it had to do with him.

Allen, who was standing next to Shelley, was quick to support her. "Come on, Professor. You know that Shion's right. She'll have no problem catching on to what we're doing. At least give her a chance before sending her off like that."

Scott came to Shion's defense as well. "Professor, everyone but Shelley worked to fix KOS-MOS that time, so you know what she can do. Just let her stay."

The Professor started hopping up and down irritably. "Fine, fine! I see how much say I've got in this room! Mark my words, this won't work out. You'll all see why in a little while, but for now, just go and help out Assistant Scott, girly." He dismissed Shion with a wave of his hand, and she hurried to join Scott.

As she worked, she noticed that Allen hadn't come to check on her, and that surprised her quite a bit. Wondering why, she chanced a look in his direction and found his head bent close to Shelley's as they worked together. _That's strange. Allen has always worried about me, even if we weren't talking at the time. I knew he liked Shelley, but I didn't think it was quite in that way. I just thought they had a really good friendship. I can't imagine him forgetting about me like that…_ Suddenly, she realized where her train of thought had gone, and she sighed at herself. _Shion Uzuki, what is wrong with you? Did you honestly think Allen would continue thinking about you and never want to move on? That's being unfair to him to expect that from him. You've been unfair enough to him as it is. You're happy with Jr. now, and it's only right that Allen have the chance to be happy, too._ Allen happened to glance up at her then, and she aimed a small smile at him. He seemed to understand somehow what she was thinking, because he glanced toward Shelley before nodding gently back at her. _I hope everything works out for the two of you like it has for Jr. and me. You both deserve it after what you've been through._

After some time of actually peaceful working amongst the five of them, the Professor suddenly groaned. "I knew it! I tried to warn all of you, but did you listen? No! Now you'll see why I was against this, you will!"

Everyone looked up to see Jr. standing in the doorway, his eyes on Shion. "What are you babbling about, old man?" he said distractedly. Shion made her way over to him, and he pulled her into his arms. "Hey, I'm going to borrow you for a little bit. You look like you could use a break, anyway." He glared at the Professor when he sputtered something incomprehensible and led Shion out of the room and down the hallway.

Allen and Shelley gave each other worried looks. They'd spoken up for Shion, and now that she'd headed off with Jr., it didn't bode well for her. It was doubtful the Professor would allow her to return if she was going to be so easily distracted. The Professor marched over to them, waving his hands wildly. "That's the reason I didn't want her! Having her here means we have to deal with The Arrogant One for more than just mealtimes, and who wants to see his cheerful face all of the time? When the girly gets back, she'll be told to keep following right after him. Now, all of you get back to work!"

When Jr. and Shion returned, it was obvious from their demeanor what had gone on during their absence. Jr. kissed a weak-kneed Shion soundly and whispered in her ear, "Don't stay too much longer, sweetheart. You haven't eaten since breakfast, and I'm sure you're starving. I'll be up on the bridge, so just come and get me." He cupped her chin in his hand and gave her one last kiss before he left.

Shion turned to everyone, her face flushed. She attempted to enter the room, but the Professor barred her way. "Let's get something straight, girly! If you stand any chance of staying to help, you'll be telling The Arrogant One to keep out of here! I don't want to be seeing him coming and stealing an assistant for what looks like more than just secret snuggles! We've got work to do in here, we do, and we don't have time for that foolishness!"

She snapped back, "Stop calling me 'girly,' and if that horrible title is in reference to Jr., you'd better stop using that, too! I'll do as you ask and let him know that he can't be doing what he just did, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stand here and tolerate your rudeness toward me! I'll find another way to occupy my time if that's how you're going to be!" She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him, looking eerily like Jr. had before.

The Professor's mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally managed to reply. "Fine! As long as you tell him he's to stay out, we understand each other! Now, if you're staying, get back over there and help Scott before he breaks anything because he's too busy paying attention to other things!" He stormed back over to his work, muttering furiously under his breath as he did so.

Allen said to Shelley out of the corner out of his mouth, "Did you notice he didn't agree to stop calling them that? It looks like Shion won't be making it to assistant status." He couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping, and Shelley laughed quietly.

"I do foresee a battle of wills far larger than any we have yet seen from the Professor and Scott. It will, of course, make the day pass more quickly. Do you not agree?" They shared a laugh, saw the Professor throw an aggravated look their way, and hid their smiles as they returned to working silently.

Later in the day, after lunch had been served and devoured, Allen took it into his head that he needed to discuss something with the Elsa crew. He'd finally decided that he and Shelley might both be ready to take the next step, but he wanted to talk to the Captain, Tony and Hammer before he spoke to Shelley later on. They'd already headed back to the bridge, and he turned to Shelley with an embarrassed smile. "You know I wouldn't leave you to do all this if I didn't have a really good reason…" he started.

Jr. and Shion disentangled themselves from one another, and Shion turned to say, "I can stay to help if you'd like, Shelley. And Jr. wouldn't mind, either." Jr. heaved a sigh behind her, but he tossed a resigned smile at Shelley. "You go ahead, Allen. Do whatever it is you need to do. Jr., stop sighing. We haven't had kitchen duty for a few days now with Hammer taking our turns."

As Allen walked away, he heard Jr. groan, "But that's the damn reason why I had him take them, sweetheart! So we could have a bit of a break!" There was a small pause before Jr. cried, "Whoa! You don't have to tug so hard. I'm following right behind you." Allen couldn't keep from grinning as he disappeared through the door.

When he stepped onto the bridge, three faces turned to him with their eyebrows raised. "Didn't we just see you in the lounge? Boy, some people just can't take a hint," Tony joked.

Allen said dryly, "Ha, ha. Anyway, can I ask you guys a favor?"

Hammer asked, "This doesn't have anything to do with keeping the Little Master's attention occupied, does it? Because you already know the answer to that one."

Allen shook his head. "No, I was just going to ask if I could borrow the lounge for tonight. I know it's late notice, but I actually had to think about it first…"

Matthews lowered his chair, seemingly lost in thought. "Does that mean we gotta eat early then?" he questioned. "Not that I have much of a problem with that, but I don't know about everyone else around here."

Allen raised a hand to the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess it would mean that. If it's not okay with everyone, I'll just try for another time. Don't worry about it, guys."

The Elsa crew glanced at one another, and then Hammer shrugged. "None of us have a problem with it, Allen. You'd just better pass it by the Little Master and see what he thinks."

Allen sighed. "I just came from the lounge where he was headed into the kitchen pretty unwillingly. Guess I'll make my way back there and pull him and Shion aside to talk to them." He turned and left the bridge, missing the knowing looks that passed between Tony and Hammer.

He hurried through the lounge into the kitchen to the entertaining sight of Jr. up to his elbows in soap. Shion and Shelley were standing back, and Allen smiled to see Shelley giggling nearly as much as Shion. Jr. handed the plate he'd just finished washing to Shion with a long-suffering sigh. "Only one more left, sweetheart. I think it's safe to say I didn't miss this for the last few days. Although I'm always the one drying…"

Allen stepped forward, and Jr.'s head swung toward him. "I do have to say that you wear soap really well, Jr.," Allen joked, and Jr. smirked at him.

"Damn, you're just so funny, Allen. The girls here thought it'd be hilarious to have me wash the dishes, since I never do that part of it. Hey, I only managed to drop one or two." He handed the last dish to Shelley, who took hold of it in an exaggerated show of gentleness. "Come on, Shelley, it's not like we don't still have plenty," he groused.

"That does not mean that we can go around smashing dishes as we please, Little Master. I think it is safe to say that you are more suited to the task of drying dishes rather than washing them. Would you not agree, Shion?" She turned her head toward Shion, who was trying unsuccessfully to hide her laughter.

"Yes, I'd completely agree, Shelley. We have to give him credit for trying, though. There was a time he'd have looked down his nose at us and told us that there was no way in hell he was washing dishes."

Jr. dried his hands on the towel and then hauled Shion close to him. "You exaggerate, sweetheart. But I love you, so I'll overlook it this time." He gave her a quick kiss and then shot a confused look at Allen. "So why are you back already? Did you talk to the guys about whatever it was you needed to?"

Allen noticed Shelley was preoccupied cleaning up the pieces of the dishes that Jr. had dropped and, guiltily ignoring his natural instinct to help her, motioned to Jr. and Shion to follow him back into the lounge. Once there, he said quietly, "I talked to them, and they said to pass it by you to make sure it's all okay. Do you mind if I borrow the lounge tonight? It'll mean an early dinner for everyone, but if it's possible, I'd just like the lounge to be free."

Jr. shrugged. "I don't see any kind of problem with it. Why do you need the lounge, though?"

Seeing red starting to creep across Allen's face, Shion knew precisely why he was asking. She took hold of Jr.'s arm. "Of course it's okay, Allen. And you don't need to worry about a thing. I'll keep Mr. Clueless here occupied."

Jr. spun to her. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? What the hell am I clueless about?" Shion began to lead him out of the lounge, and Allen overheard him say, "Come on, sweetheart! Tell me what I'm missing!" The door closed on Shion's sigh.

Now that he knew the lounge would be unoccupied for the evening, Allen found himself struggling to move his feet to return to Shelley. Although he knew they cared for one another, he was beginning to worry that maybe he was only deluding himself into thinking she cared for him as more than just a friend. He was afraid of how her rejection would cause him to feel. _Look, standing here being all indecisive isn't going to accomplish much. As tough as it is, I'd better get back into that kitchen and see if there's any reason for all this worrying._ He drew a deep breath and hurried into the kitchen.

Shelley looked up at him with a smile. She rose from the floor gracefully and disposed of the pieces of the dishes she'd been cleaning up. "I do not think it would be wise to allow the Little Master to attempt washing dishes again. Then again," she mused, "it is entirely possible that it was done intentionally to assure that very thing."

Allen laughed. "You're talking about Jr., so I'd say it's more than likely. In fact, I'm thinking it's a certainty since you and Shion were kind enough to force him into washing them in the first place."

Shelley shot him an extremely innocent look. "Shion was adamant that the Little Master wash the dishes. I was not about to argue in the face of such intensity."

He said with another laugh, "I can't say I blame you." His laughter faded, and he began to fidget slightly. He wasn't sure how to approach Shelley about what he wanted to ask her, so silence fell upon the room for a brief time.

She broke it by asking, "Allen, is there something you wish to ask me? You do seem rather ill-at-ease. Please do not feel as though you cannot speak to me about what you are thinking."

_Okay, Allen, she gave you an opening, so you'd better take advantage of it. If she says no, I'll be fine. Well, maybe not fine, but I'll find a way to deal with it. I hope, anyway…_ He gave her a nervous smile. "This is probably going to sound a little weird, Shelley, but would you like to…try going on a date with me?" He finished the question in a rush, almost afraid of what her answer was going to be.

Shelley seemed taken aback for a few seconds, and his heart began to pound with nervousness. Finally, a smile lit her entire face, and she placed a hand upon his arm gently. "I would be very happy to accompany you on a date, Allen. Although I must confess to being at a loss as to how exactly one goes about a date on the Elsa…"

His heart rate began to return to normal slowly, and he grinned at her a little tremulously. "Yeah, there's a shortage of date spots on the Elsa. So I was thinking we could maybe borrow the lounge for ours. Does that sound all right? I'd make dinner and then come and pick you up, if you're okay with that."

She shook her head, and his shoulders slumped. Her next words caused him to look up again. "No, I do not believe that I could wait that length of time. I would much rather enjoy your company while we both prepare dinner." He began to protest, and she said softly, "It is something I have grown quite used to, Allen. Our standing next to one another as we prepare meals has become very important to me, and I would very much like to continue doing so."

He chuckled and took her hand in his. "I hope you know that there's no way I could say no to that. I was looking forward to preparing the food and surprising you, but I won't mind spending more time with you. I don't want you to feel that you have to do that, though."

She squeezed his hand lightly. "I do not, so please do not worry. We have been spending less time together because I have been traveling back and forth between the bridge and the workroom, and I wish to remedy that in any way I can. This does mean using the kitchen after Mary and Tony have been let loose within it, however."

He groaned slightly before he shrugged. "Some things can't be helped, I guess. Should we maybe head into the kitchen right after dinner's over then?"

She leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek softly. "That would most likely be the best choice. I look forward to this evening, Allen. Now, I must return to the bridge, and you must return to the Professor. I wish you a peaceful, uneventful few hours."

He raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, I don't see that happening. If Shion told Jr. he can't be coming down there anymore, I'll be surprised if we don't see a major confrontation. I could be wrong, though." They glanced at one another dubiously before walking out of the kitchen to exit the lounge, parting ways at the elevator.

That evening, before going to the lounge, Shelley stopped by her room to change outfits. Since moving out of the women's cabin, she'd had to quickly sneak in when she knew Jr. and Shion weren't in there so she could shower, and she'd done that first after leaving the bridge. She wished to dress properly for her date with Allen, so she chose a purple poet's shirt paired with black gauzy pants. There was a knock on the door that she'd asked to have installed after she'd taken the gunroom as hers. Quickly finishing dressing, she called out, "You may come in."

Mary stepped into the room. "Hey, Shelley, I gotta talk to ya…" She did a double-take at her sister's appearance. "Why ya dressin' up so nice, Shelley? We're only eatin' dinner, like we been doin' since we started this journey. And jeez, do ya own somethin' that ain't purple?"

Shelley said stiffly, "I pose the same question to you, although I would need to change the color to blue."

Mary laughed. "Okay, okay, ya got me. So, ya gonna tell me just what's got ya lookin' so fancy?"

Shelley debated on whether to tell her sister or not. In the end, not wishing to keep another secret from her, no matter how small, she replied, "Allen and I will be using the lounge this evening. He asked if I would be willing to go on a date with him, to which I replied that I would enjoy doing so."

Mary's blue eyes widened. "You're goin' on a date? Wow, can't say I saw that one comin'. What do ya even see in him, anyway? Ain't he kinda goofy?"

Shelley knew Mary hadn't had much interaction with Allen, but she was still quick to leap to his defense. "No, he is not 'goofy,' as you are kind enough to put it. He has a wonderful personality, and he has the biggest heart I have ever seen someone possess. I believe that you should take the time to actually begin to know him, Mary."

Mary hugged her. "I'm sorry, sis. Didn't mean to make ya mad at me. Anyway, ya'd better get goin' then. I bet his jaw's gonna fall on the floor with how darn pretty ya look. Go and get 'im," she teased, earning herself a narrow-eyed look from Shelley. "Come on, lighten up! Ya got the ol' Mary back, so y'all should be thrilled! Now hurry on up, and I'll be right behind ya. I'm starvin'!" Shelley gave a sigh and left the room, Mary not far behind her.

Not much later, everyone was headed out of the lounge after eating, but Shion noticed a certain redhead trying to linger. "Jr.," she hissed, "what are you doing? You know that Allen specifically asked for the use of the lounge!"

He turned his head to aim a devastating grin at her. "I just want to hear what's going on in the kitchen. You won't tell me what the hell I'm so damn clueless about, so my talent for eavesdropping is about to come in handy."

She tugged at his arm, and he unwillingly began to follow after her. "Allen needs the lounge for his date with Shelley! Haven't you noticed how close the two of them have become? While I was on the lower level, I realized that it's become more than just friendship. I'm happy for both of them. Now let's go before they find out you're hanging around like this!"

His obvious shock made it easy for her to lead him out of the lounge. "Allen…and Shelley?" he said disbelievingly. "Are you serious, sweetheart? I mean, I knew they were really good friends, but I just liked teasing Shelley about him. I didn't think that she really…" They entered the cabin and, discovering that Mary was nowhere in sight, proceeded to forget about Allen and Shelley. He pulled back to say huskily, "How about I leave that clue for Mary so she knows not to come walking in just yet?"

In the kitchen, Allen was busily cooking while Shelley cleaned up from everyone else's dinner. "It was real nice of Tony to skip out like that," he said, shaking his head. "And it looked like Mary was pretty close behind him."

She lifted a shoulder in an elegant shrug. "I am not at all surprised. Mary knew of our date, and she insisted she did not wish to intrude. I do somehow doubt her intentions were quite that pure, but I do not mind. I am already done cleaning up, so do you need my assistance with anything?"

He looked around quickly before shaking his head in negation. "No, I've got everything under control for now. Hey, I didn't get a chance to tell you before, but you look beautiful tonight," he said softly.

Her eyes swept over him, taking in again what she'd already noticed previously. He was dressed in a dark blue sweater and a pair of tan slacks. "While there are times I grow weary of seeing Mary in the color blue," she said lightly, "I do believe that it is a color that suits you very well. It highlights your eyes." She saw him glance down at his sweater a little self-consciously. "You must be prepared to accept compliments as well as give them, Allen."

He grinned ruefully. "That's not one of my better talents, and I think you know that. I'm used to being pushed into the corner and forgotten about."

She moved closer to him and laid her hand upon his arm, her purple eyes looking into his blue ones intensely. "You need not worry about that where I am involved. I am always aware of just where you are when you are present within a room."

Checking his impulse to raise his hand to the back of his head the way he normally did when he was embarrassed, he managed to break eye contact with her long enough to glance toward the dinner he was cooking. "I think it's almost done. Now, is it possible to convince you to go in and sit down? I know you wanted to help me, but I'd really like to bring the food out to you. I won't be long, I promise."

Seeing the earnestness in his eyes, she brought a hand to his cheek. "While I do not go easily, I will go because it seems to be what you truly want. If you need any type of assistance, please come and let me know." She reluctantly moved away from him and headed into the lounge. He lifted his hand to his cheek briefly before recalling dinner needed his attention.

About ten to fifteen minutes later, Shelley looked up to see Allen appear with two plates of steaming food. He set the plate down in front of her before setting his own down. "I hope you like it," he fretted. "I thought I'd try something different with this being our first date…" His face colored, and he looked away. "Sorry for being presumptuous."

She stood up and took his hands in hers. "I am hoping myself that this date is only the first of many, Allen Ridgeley. So if you are being presumptuous, I would assume I am being far more so."

"You always manage to know just what to say to set a person at ease, Shelley," he told her with a smile. "All right, I'm hoping you're hungry because I think I made too much."

They both sat down, and Shelley took a bite of the pasta he'd prepared. "This is delicious, Allen. I see you merely humor me when our turn in the kitchen arrives."

He started to protest before he realized she was teasing him gently. "I used to be a disaster in the kitchen, if I'm totally truthful with you. It's only since we started cooking together that I really got the hang of it. So it's thanks to you that I could even prepare that meal."

She shook her head. "It had nothing to do with me, Allen. You had a desire to learn, and that is all one needs." They ate in companionable silence, and once both were finished, he reached across the table to take her hand gently. Her eyes softened. "How was your day after we left one another?"

He laughed. "If you're asking if Jr. ever showed up to give the Professor a piece of his mind, the answer's no. I was wondering about it myself, but not long before we were set to come up for dinner, Shion came over and told me why. She said she told him about it, and he seemed okay with it. In fact, her words were 'he was suspiciously okay with it, which makes me a little nervous.' So who knows what's going to happen in the future. How about you? Anything exciting happen while you were on the bridge?"

She laughed lightly. "Other than Hammer and Tony threatening to stomp on one another, I cannot say that much occurred. The Captain was of the opinion that my presence might cause them to desist in fighting or, at the very least, lessen it, but that has not been the case. I have developed the remarkable ability to block out all sound when they decide to posture as they do."

They made small talk for a while after that, simply enjoying each other's company. She suddenly got to her feet, causing him to look at her in surprise. "I had nearly forgotten that I had prepared dessert in advance! Please allow me to disappear for a moment to bring it in to us." Before he could say much of anything, she was gone. She returned quickly, carrying a platter that contained a cake.

"When did you have time to bake that?" Allen said, amazed.

"Do you recall when I was speaking of my remarkable ability to block out sound?" He nodded in response. "There are rare times that I will disappear, and this time I simply disappeared into the kitchen. I must admit that the strawberries were very difficult to procure, and I do hope that you do not dislike them. If you do, however, please do not be afraid to tell me." She set the platter down upon the table, glancing at him nervously.

"You don't need to worry," he said with a laugh. "I never got to have strawberries very much, but the few times that I did, they were really good. You don't have to do that," he told her, standing up when she began to cut the cake.

"Allen, did you not serve dinner? Please sit back down and allow me to do the same with dessert," she said with a gentle smile.

Knowing she had a point and also knowing it was futile to argue because of that, he sat back down. She handed him a piece of the cake and then sat down with her own. After dessert had been eaten and everything had been washed, dried and put away, both of them realized they were exhausted. Allen stood up first and offered his hand to Shelley. She took it with a smile. "Since we are both headed in the same direction, we need not part ways immediately." They exited the lounge and made their way toward the elevator.

It didn't take them long to reach Shelley's room. Allen stood there for a minute, his hand to the back of his head. He appeared to be indecisive about something. "What are you pondering, Allen?" Shelley questioned.

He sighed. "I'm thinking my nerves might be getting to me, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm not Gaignun. Maybe I'm just being crazy, but I wanted to tell you that."

She took a step closer to him. "And I am not Shion," she whispered. "Let us not allow the shadows of our pasts to linger." Before he quite knew what was happening, she had gently pressed her mouth against his. He went rigid for a few seconds, in some form of shock that Shelley was kissing him, and then he allowed himself to be swept away with emotion. His arms slid around her waist to hold her close, and her arms slid around his neck. They pulled apart somewhat reluctantly, staring into one another's eyes afterward. "I had a wonderful time tonight, Allen. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow," she said softly.

"Yeah, me too," he said in return, his brain not functioning well enough at the moment to allow him to say much else. He watched her disappear into her room, the door closing behind her, and then he headed off toward the workroom. Thankfully, the Professor and Scott were fast asleep, so for the few minutes before he fell asleep, he was able to bask in the glow of the evening he'd just had with Shelley.

The next day, he and Shelley were on breakfast duty, so he stopped by her room to catch her before she went up without him. Some part of him had been expecting things to be somewhat awkward after last night, but that didn't seem to be the case. She smiled at him when she opened the door. "Good morning, Allen." She moved closer to him to give him a quick kiss that had him blushing afterward but grinning at the same time. "We should hurry to the upper level and prepare breakfast before anyone begins to miss it."

Once they'd reached the lounge, they found Jr. and Shion already comfortably ensconced in one of the booths. Jr. was occupied with nuzzling Shion's neck, but the two of them glanced up when they heard the sound of the door opening and closing. The corner of Jr.'s mouth lifted up in a smile that Shelley recognized immediately. She braced herself for what she knew was coming. "So, how was the date last night?" He winked at Allen and Shelley, and Allen turned a rather unattractive shade of red. "It went that well, huh?"

Shelley narrowed her eyes at him. "Little Master, that is something you do not need to know. Please forgive me in advance for this, Shion, but we do not rush things the way the two of you tend to do."

Shion tapped Jr. lightly on the shoulder. "Don't tease them, Jr. And don't worry about it, Shelley. Jr. and I do have the tendency to rush into things sometimes," she said with a laugh.

Allen finally spoke up. "As much as we'd like to stay and have you interrogate us about last night, we have to head into the kitchen. Breakfast isn't going to make itself," he said jokingly.

Jr. gave an innocent whistle. "Yeah, go ahead. Go snuggle in the kitchen. No one's stopping you."

Shelley cried, her tone clearly one of aggravation, "Little Master!" She watched Shion tap Jr. again and said, "Thank you, Shion. You are very fortunate that violence is not a part of my nature, Little Master. However, it has been duly noted that I have Shion to work in that capacity." She hurried in the direction of the kitchen, hiding a smile at the narrow-eyed look she had received from the Little Master before she had turned away. Allen followed in her wake, containing his laughter with difficulty.

When they reappeared with breakfast a little while later, Tony shot Shelley a grin when she set his plate in front of him. "So, did you have a pretty good night there, Shelley? I'm betting you did."

She sighed. "I am beginning to believe that we have all spent far too much time together aboard this ship. You sound precisely like the Little Master did not very long ago. You will receive the same answer as he did, and that would be that it is none of your concern."

Tony laughed cheerfully. "Oh, come on! No teasing allowed on the ship anymore or what? Hey, there were the observant few of us who knew where your relationship with Allen was headed."

Shelley eyed him shrewdly. "I would not be surprised to learn that you had a bet with either Hammer or the Captain on the outcome of said relationship." She watched him choke on the bite of toast he'd just taken, and she shook her head. "I see I am quite correct. Please do not attempt to gamble upon my personal life again." She gave him a sunny smile, and since she rarely smiled that brightly, Tony nodded quickly, realizing she was far more upset than she was letting on. "Now, if you will excuse me…" She headed in Allen's direction, seeing he was taking somewhat of a ribbing from Hammer as well. She spoke quickly and quietly to him, and they disappeared into the back of lounge to sit at the booth there.

Over the next few days, Allen and Shelley grew steadily closer, but they were never ones to show affection where it might be seen by others. Jr. was slightly disappointed by this, being that he was unable to poke mild fun at either of them. However, he found himself worrying less about it and more about Shion as the days passed. She seemed suddenly to have fallen into a very pensive mood, and when he asked her what was bothering her, he was presented with the answer that drove everyone mad when they heard it from her, "It's nothing." He didn't believe her one bit, but with her refusing to tell him what she was thinking about, he was unable to help her for the time being. Each night, she fell asleep and he was left feeling that he should have said something else to convince her to talk to him. This night was no different, but once again, he was unsure of what to say and so he allowed her to kiss him good night and turn on to her side. He pulled her back against him with a sigh and closed his eyes.

--- Later on that night ---

Shion awoke, her lower back aching slightly. She had been awakened the same way for the past few nights, and she knew it had simply to do with her pregnancy. It sometimes helped her to walk around for a bit, so she slid out of Jr.'s embrace quickly and quietly, praying she wouldn't awaken him as well. He had been sleeping much more soundly since they had started sharing a bed, and she didn't want to disrupt that. She dropped a kiss on his sleeping lips and then stole from the cabin. Her destination was the bridge, as it had been the other nights she had woken from a sound sleep to that slight ache. With everyone sleeping, she could stand and watch out the window, searching for something she knew she wouldn't see. She folded her arms across her chest, her emerald eyes despondent, and looked out silently.

Some time after Shion had crept from the room, Jr.'s blue eyes opened slowly. His arms felt empty, and he supposed that could have been what had roused him from his sleep. "Shion?" he murmured, not expecting an answer. Not receiving one, he quickly became alert and shot to a sitting position. His eyes searched the softly lit cabin, but there was no sign of Shion. Mary was sleeping peacefully in her bed across the way, but Jr. barely spared her a glance, being that she wasn't the one he was looking for. He got to his feet and, without bothering to throw on a shirt, left the cabin in search of Shion.

He and Shion usually had a talent for knowing where the other was at nearly any given time, and his instinct was telling him that she was on the bridge. He had no idea why she would be there at this time of night, but he didn't question that she was indeed there. He hurried toward it and, once through the door, was rewarded with the sight of Shion standing very still, her eyes focused toward the space they were traveling through. He was about to go to her when he heard her speak. Apparently she hadn't heard him enter the room, because she wasn't addressing him. "Are you out there somewhere, KOS-MOS? I know you must be, but I wish that I could see you again. There's so much happening, and I miss being able to talk to you about things." She lowered her head, and although Jr. saw her shoulders begin to shake, indicating she was crying, he thought it best to wait and see if she was done talking aloud to KOS-MOS.

"Jr. and I talked about the possibility of it being you on that planet," she said, the tears thickening her voice. "While we both agreed it was likely, I wasn't entirely honest with him when I acted like it didn't matter that we couldn't know for sure. I wanted to be able to see you, KOS-MOS. Why didn't you let me?" Here she broke down entirely, and her sobs wrenched at Jr.'s heart. He took the few steps forward to reach her and slipped his arms around her waist. She gave a small squeak and jumped in his arms. "Jr.! You scared me to death! Why didn't you say anything?"

He settled his chin on her shoulder, so he could talk near her ear. "Because I thought you deserved the time to speak with her. I didn't want to intrude upon you, but you know I can't stand to see you cry." He was quiet for a few seconds. "You didn't have to act as though you weren't upset about not knowing for sure. I know how special she was and still is to you, sweetheart."

She turned her head toward him. "We had no way of knowing, so was there really sense in dwelling on it? I thought my feelings would fade over time, but I guess I was wrong. I miss her, Jr., so very much."

He turned her in his arms. "I know you do, and that's totally understandable. If there was a way for me to give you what you're looking for, you know I would give it to you in an instant." Bringing a hand up to stroke her sleep-tousled hair, he said softly, "She's looking over you, wherever she is now. We'll see her again, and you can tell her everything you're feeling now. I swear that to you."

She knew he couldn't possibly know that for certain, but the fact that he was so fervent in his promise made her smile at him. "Listening to you reminds me of just why I love you so much, Gaignun Kukai Jr. You have an amazingly big heart, and you want me to be happy. I know you can't promise that for sure, but the fact that you're willing to make me that promise makes me love you so much more than should be possible." She brought her mouth to his in a soft but passion-infused kiss.

Jr. felt her hands slide up his bare chest, and then she pressed close to him. The cool satin of her pajama top came in contact with his suddenly overheated skin. "Oh Jesus, Shion," he groaned as her mouth drifted to his ear to nibble gently at it. He knew very well what she was trying to do, and that was attempting to bury herself in the passion only he could bring her because it would cause her to forget her sadness for the moment. He wanted to keep a clear head so that they could deal with her feelings, but that was becoming increasingly difficult as her mouth trailed down his neck. Before she could reach her obvious destination, however, he grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to stand straight.

"Shion, this is not the way to deal with what you're feeling. You know I love you, and I would have no problem with doing what you seem to be insisting on. You're using it to avoid dealing, though. That's not what I want to happen. Shion!" he said reproachfully as her hands drifted over his chest again.

"I don't want to think, Jr.," she said quietly, and her hand suddenly moved southward. The words she spoke to him and her actions afterward caused Jr.'s mind to go perfectly blank on just why he was trying to convince her this shouldn't be happening…

_**--- Unfortunately, Jr. and Shion got a little too "frisky" in this scene to have the entire thing included. If you have an interest in seeing the uncensored version, just send me a PM and I'll either give you the link to where it can be found or send it to you through email. So now I'll pick up the scene after all of the friskiness has gone on and Jr. and Shion are headed back to the women's cabin. XD ---**_

…Afterward, they managed to get dressed and return to the cabin, where they tumbled into bed and fell deeply asleep. Much later on, they awoke at nearly the same time. Shion shifted a little uncomfortably, and Jr. kissed her forehead tenderly. "You're not sore or anything, are you? I know we were busy for a long time, and you're not used to that."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not sore, but I am still pleasantly numb. I'd really like to take a shower, though. I'm thinking that my hair is probably a wild mess, and I'll have to use a bottle of conditioner to be able to get a comb through it. It's getting so long now." She pulled on a piece of it and made a face at the tangles she saw. Without another word, she was up and headed for the shower, Jr. not far behind her.

Afterward, she was busily contemplating putting her hair up for the day. It now reached well below her shoulder blades and had a tendency to get in her way. She ran her fingers through it to gather it up into a simple ponytail and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She stopped dead and stared in horror. On the side of her neck was a near monstrous bruise. She spun to Jr. with an accusatory glare, and he bit his lip, looking contrite. "I think I got carried away. Hey, I was lost in the heat of the moment," he said defensively.

She huffed, "Now what am I supposed to do? I can't wear my hair up, because it'll stand out even worse than it does right now! And I can't even be certain with my hair down that it'll be covered! Jr.!"

He muttered, "Crap," as she approached and then decided it was best to beat a quick retreat. For once, he was the first one dressed, and he hurried out the door before she could do more than call after him.

He reached the bridge, panting slightly as he leaned back against the door after it had closed behind him. The crew of the Elsa turned to look back at him. Tony shot a look toward Hammer, who shrugged. Taking that as assent, Tony said, "Hey, Little Master, maybe you've got a clue about this. I came in this morning and found my damn seat was moved! I know you got all pissed off before because I wouldn't let you try piloting, so were you in here and messing around with the seat or something?"

Jr. coughed. "I wasn't piloting it, if that's what you're asking." He glanced off to the side.

Tony made a wounded noise. "You aren't serious, are you?" Seeing Jr.'s face when his gaze returned to him, Tony cried, "Aw, Jesus! Not in my pilot seat! Damn, don't you know the seat's sacred?!"

Jr. snickered. "I'd have to say that it's not anymore, Tony," he said with as straight a face as he could manage and walked out. Hoping his brief disappearance had managed to calm Shion down, he headed back into the women's cabin. He also wished to talk to her about what they hadn't gotten around to discussing last night due to their involvement in other activities. He found her in the bathroom, attempting to find a way to lay her hair about her neck to hide the evidence of what had passed between them on the bridge. "I guess makeup's not going to help…" His voice trailed away at the scorching glare she sent his way.

"No, it's pretty safe to say that it's not. It's not like you haven't ever left marks on me, but could you be sure to leave them in less visible places, like you always have before?" she threw at him, annoyed. She felt his arms slide around her waist, and she said haughtily, "Don't think you're going to nuzzle your way out of this, sir."

He gave a low chuckle. "You know I could, but I'm not going to this time. I'll be more careful the next time, sweetheart." He rested his hands upon her stomach gently. "Could we maybe talk about what happened on the bridge before we lost our heads? How come you've been so quiet lately? Talk to me about KOS-MOS. What got you to thinking about her? And how come you wanted to keep it from me?"

She leaned back against him, sighing quietly. "It wasn't really a case of me keeping it from you so much as I just didn't want to talk about it. It's hard for me to talk about her still, even to you. It's not that I'm not happy, because I am. I love you, and I love this little life growing within me that's us combined. I only wish she was here to share everything with me, Jr." She was quiet for a minute or two, and he took the time to nuzzle her neck. "As to why I'm suddenly thinking so much about her, I think it's because I've been working with Allen, the Professor and Scott. All of us worked so hard to restore her after T-elos destroyed her black box, and it's bringing back so many memories for me to be working with them again so closely. It makes me miss her more than I can really say," she whispered, turning in his arms and pressing her face against his neck to hide her tears.

He ran his hand over her hair soothingly. "I know, sweetheart," was all he said, and then he simply held her as she cried.

Finally, she pulled back to smile somewhat tearfully at him. "I think I'm okay now. Well, maybe not okay, but telling you what I've been thinking made me feel better. I love you for listening to me," she told him, lifting a hand and bringing it to his cheek.

He turned his head to kiss the palm. "Hey, loving you as much as I do guarantees you have my attention, sweetheart. Now, do you really want to keep working with the three of them if that's how it's making you feel? If you don't, I'm sure we could find something else for you to do."

She nodded. "I'd rather stay, to be honest. I know what I'm doing, and it makes the day go pretty quickly. We're working on an idea of the Professor's that looks to be another Erde Kaiser. I wonder how he plans to make it stronger than his last. Even with the Dark Professor gone, he seems to still be in this silly war to make the better one." She shrugged, laughing quietly. Her eyes suddenly narrowed at him. "By the way, just where did you go before when you rushed out of here?"

He glanced away from her. "Um, I headed off toward the bridge. I wasn't there for all that long, but, uh…" The guilty look that crossed his face had her shaking her head at him.

"Jr., does Tony know what happened on the bridge?" she questioned, her tone conveying her unhappiness at the thought.

"Well, he knows that something happened involving his pilot seat," he answered uneasily. "Looks like we shifted the seat on him."

"As much as I enjoyed last night," she said, caressing his cheek softly, "I'm suddenly thinking about what Mary said to us. She's right in that we don't pay attention to anyone else around us, or their feelings. I think the only thing for us to do is to apologize to Tony for doing what we did. It's time for us to stop acting like we're the only ones on the ship, Jr."

He heaved a sigh. "Yeah, you're right. We can't keep expecting everyone to close their eyes to what we do. That doesn't mean that I'm going to keep my hands off you entirely, sweetheart. It just means I'll be a little more discreet. We're never going to be like Allen and Shelley, though. I don't know how they do it, when it's pretty damn clear that they really care for each other. One look in your eyes, and I just want to…" His eyes told her what he was thinking, and she giggled.

"Back on track, please. Anyway, we should really go speak to Tony to let him know we're sorry and that it won't happen again." She pulled away from him and started to leave the bathroom, but he caught her wrist and gently pulled her back. "Jr.?"

"Let me handle this, okay? The pilot seat was my damn idea to begin with, so it's only right that I be the one to apologize. I'm not letting you take the blame for the deviant I become when you're in my arms," he said with a grin.

She laughed. "No, I don't think I can take all of the credit for that. You were quite the deviant before me from everything I've learned over the course of our relationship." She started to say something else, but he brought a finger to her lips.

"Could we try to forget that? You know I'm not proud of my past, but it has come in handy at times. Especially last night," he murmured in her ear, chuckling when he saw her blush. He kissed her lingeringly and then moved back to say, "I'm off to talk to Tony. If I'm not back soon, just check to make sure he didn't attack and kill me. That pilot seat is a damn sight more important to him than I realized…" He left the cabin for a second time, once again bound for the bridge.

When he arrived, he asked Tony if he could talk to him outside the bridge, not wanting Matthews or Hammer to overhear any more than they had when Tony had questioned him earlier. He shifted from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "Look, Tony, Shion and I were talking, and I really think I need to apologize for what happened. We didn't have any damn right to go near your pilot seat, and you had every damn right to be pissed about it. I'm sorry. It's just that I can't keep my hands off her when she's anywhere close to me."

Tony said seriously, "Damn, I know the feeling. I can't keep my hands off her, either." He watched as Jr.'s face turned red with jealous anger, and then he allowed the grin to surface on his face. "Gotcha," he said with a whistle.

Jr. cursed colorfully as he shook his head. "Okay, I deserved that. I know it. But man, that was cruel, Tony."

Tony lifted his eyebrows. "Just don't go messin' with the pilot seat again. I don't have much that I'm real territorial about, but that'd be one of the few things. As long as we understand each other, we're good now. See ya later, Little Master." He disappeared back into the bridge, whistling to himself.

Downstairs, Shelley was preparing to leave the workroom for the bridge. Allen walked her out to the elevator. "So, are you going to stop and talk to Mary first?" he asked. "You said yesterday that you were planning to see what she thought of your idea."

She nodded gently. "Yes, I do believe that I will do so. I do not foresee a problem when I inform her of the idea I have. She may not agree at first, but once I tell her of all that is involved, I am nearly positive she will change her mind."

He pondered upon that for a few seconds. "Since I don't really know Mary all that well, I'll have to trust you on it. You're sisters after all, so I think you know her much better than me. I'll see you later on at dinner, okay?"

Realizing he still wasn't quite comfortable with initiating any kissing between them because of a natural tendency toward shyness, she kissed him softly. He gave a start of surprise, something he hadn't yet been able to suppress, but kissed her back after a second or two. They parted, smiling, and then they took their leave of one another.

Shelley stopped by the women's cabin first, but no one answered the door there. She thought it wise then to head for the lounge and see if Mary was there, because as long as Mary wasn't in charge of the cooking, she liked to sneak in for small snacks during the days. Entering the lounge, she found her instinct had been correct; however, Mary wasn't there stealing snacks. Instead, she seemed to be teasing the Little Master and Shion. "My goodness, Shion, looks to me like ya got attacked by one o' those vampire thingies Little Master told me 'bout once. Him and those books o' his… Anyway, ain't no way o' hidin' that. I can't believe ya let him do that to ya. Ain't it embarrassin'?" She laughed merrily, and although Shelley gave a mental sigh at her sister, she had to admit that she was happy to see Mary interacting normally with the Little Master and Shion.

If looks could kill, the glare Shion shot at Jr. would have reduced him to ashes. He shrugged it off, though, stepping forward to enfold her in his embrace. "Okay, okay. I already told her I got carried away. If you could be decent enough to not keep pointing it out, I might stop getting death glares sent my way."

Shion huffed, annoyed. "If you hadn't done it in the first place, you wouldn't have to worry about death glares!" Jr. brought his mouth to her ear to whisper something to her, and whatever it was caused her to flush immediately. "That's not something we need to discuss here, Jr.!"

"I wasn't discussing anything, sweetheart. I was only pointing out the simple truth." He noticed Shelley standing near the doorway, watching the scene before her in bemused silence. "Hey, Shelley, what brings you in here? Where's Allen?" he said innocently.

She said with a small smile, "If you would like to avoid more death glares being aimed in your direction, Little Master, it would be a wise decision to not say things that are intended to provoke them from someone." He grumbled to himself, and she glanced toward Mary. "May I speak with you, Mary? If you are done causing Shion a not undue amount of embarrassment, that is."

Shion lifted a hand to her neck self-consciously before she sighed. "I guess everyone will have something to say until this disappears. I'm going to head down to the lower level. I'm sure the Professor is fuming because I'm late."

"That crazy old man complains about everything," Jr. said, waving a hand dismissively. "Am I allowed to walk you down there, or is that forbidden, too?" The look on his face said he didn't much care at the moment.

"No, he didn't say anything about you dropping me off. He just said he didn't want you coming down and stealing me. Come on, since we're keeping Shelley from talking to Mary. We'll see you two at dinner." She gave them a smile and Jr. shot them a grin as he took Shion's hand. They left the lounge, Shion seemingly having forgotten her earlier irritation with Jr.

Mary's eyes followed them until the door had closed behind them. She then broke into a fit of laughter. It was several minutes before she was calm enough to speak again. "Sorry, Shelley. Ya know me and the Little Mastah. I just like teasin' him is all. And there was just no way I was gonna let that one slide by. So what did ya wanna talk 'bout, anyway?"

Shelley shook her head somewhat maternally. "Mary, you may wish to refrain from teasing them as you did. Now that you and the Little Master are speaking again, you know very well the things that he is capable of when it comes to exacting revenge upon someone."

Mary stuck out her tongue, and Shelley couldn't help but laugh. It was refreshing to see Mary return to her normal self, even if there were times her sister could drive her a bit crazy. "I ain't worried 'bout that. Now, how 'bout ya just tell me what's goin' on in that head o' yours?"

Shelley's face turned serious. "Now that you have finally discussed the situation with Shion and the Little Master, I have something I wish to ask you. I knew you would not agree until progress had been made in your standoff with them, so I did not approach you before this because of that very reason. Would you consider leaving the cabin to them?"

Mary's eyebrows came together in confusion. "What do ya mean by that? Do ya mean leavin' entirely? But I ain't got no place else to sleep then, Shelley."

Shelley was aware that what she was about to propose wouldn't go a long way in her battle to have the Elsa crew and the Little Master view her as separate from Mary, but she also knew she had made a small amount of headway with that due to her relationship with Allen. Mary still wasn't comfortable talking to Allen much, nor he with her, so it tended to keep the sisters apart somewhat. Shelley knew it would simply take time for her sister and Allen to become used to one another. Returning to herself mentally, she answered, "Of course you would have a place to sleep, Mary. There is no reason I could not have another bed installed in my room."

Mary was quiet for a short time. "I don't know, Shelley," she finally replied. "I guess I'm just used to bein' there, and it don't bother me none, at least not no more, that the Little Mastah and Shion are sleepin' together."

Shelley asked, "Mary, have you given thought as to what it will be like when their child is born? A newly born baby does not sleep through the night. They require much attention because they are dependent upon others to take care of them. Being in the same room means you will not be sleeping through the night, either. While I am aware you sleep quite soundly, I do somehow doubt you will be able to sleep through that. Also, the Little Master and Shion will become a family when their child is born, and I do believe they deserve to be a family on their own." She stopped, afraid that she was coming on far too strongly.

Mary, however, seemed to be lost in thought. "Yeah, they really do, don't they?" she mused. "And when ya put it that way, 'bout me bein' awake just as much as they're gonna be, it makes me think 'bout how cranky I'm gonna be if I gotta be awake most o' the night. Nobody wants a cranky, ol' Mary. We already seen her for long enough, right? So, if ya wanna put up with me again, I'll move in with ya whenever ya want. I ain't gonna disturb you and Allen, though?"

Shelley eyed her suspiciously, but Mary seemed genuinely concerned. "No, Allen and I will be fine. It may even be beneficial for all involved that you see one another more. We shall see as time passes. If you wish, you may use the cot for the next few days until we convince someone to install a bed for you."

Mary waved a hand. "Sounds fine to me. Let's head on over to the cabin and start movin' what little stuff I got downstairs. Boy, I bet this'll just thrill the Little Mastah to pieces," she said with a laugh as they left the cabin. "Means he ain't gonna have no one to worry 'bout no more." Shelley raised an eyebrow at her questioningly, and she elaborated, "I'm sayin' he's gonna have a whole bunch o' privacy now, silly." She shrugged when Shelley raised a hand to her forehead. "What? Ya asked, didn't ya? If ya didn't want an answer, then ya shouldn't be askin' the question in the first place. Now, come on." They disappeared into the cabin to begin Mary's transfer to the lower level.

**Author's note 2 – **I must give credit where credit is due, and the small scene where Shion realizes that Allen is moving on without her and cares about Shelley as far more than a friend came from an idea that Princess Artemis sent me. While it didn't quite play out the way she spoke of it to me, it was still thanks to her that it even made it into my story.


	23. Changes Aboard The Elsa Part 1

**Author's note – **Well, I seem to have either lost readers or reviewers, I'm not sure which… If it was due to the length of the chapter, I'm really sorry about that. I should have broken it up and didn't. This chapter is getting broken up because it's big, too. Now I'm not sure how this chapter will be taken, but it's where I felt the story needed to go. If you're wondering if Shion will _ever _have the baby, it'll be the chapter after next if all goes well. I hope everyone still reading likes this one! Oh, and I wanted to say that I see my story is getting a lot of hits, way more than the amount of reviews it has. Please, if you're reading it and keeping up with it, I love reviews! - begs nicely for reviews - XD

For a month after Mary had moved out of the cabin, Jr. enjoyed the privacy it afforded him with Shion. He no longer had to worry about anyone walking in on them, and though he had to share her time with the Professor, Allen, Scott and Shelley, he took advantage of that fact. However, when Shion entered her seventh month of pregnancy, things suddenly changed. He walked into the cabin and found her sitting quietly on their bed, her head lowered. He sat beside her and brought his mouth to her neck. "Hey there, sweetheart," he murmured as his arms slid around her waist. Just as he took note that his arms weren't surrounding her the way they had been, she made a shrugging motion in an obvious attempt to stop his nuzzling.

"Jr., please don't do that. I'm not at all in the mood," she snapped. She pulled away from him and got to her feet slowly.

He stood up right after, a hurt expression upon his face. "How come you're taking that tone with me? I wasn't doing anything I haven't done before." He turned her toward him, and she averted her face from him. Recalling the last time she'd started acting strangely, he lowered his eyes to her stomach. Although covered by the maternity clothes, it was hard to ignore that it was no longer simply a bump. It had rounded far more, and she couldn't hide it behind the clothes anymore. "Shion, is this why…?" he questioned.

"I can't anymore, Jr.," she said softly. Her hands rested upon her stomach, and her eyes took on a faraway look. "You couldn't possibly want to look at me like this, and I don't feel one bit sexy. I can't even get to my feet easily like before."

He cupped her chin in his hand gently. "Sweetheart, you know that doesn't matter to me. Come on, I look at you and all I see is a beautiful woman who's carrying my child. If you don't think that makes you sexy to me, then I'm obviously not doing my job. As for you not being able to get to your feet, what do you think I'm here for?"

Tears began to roll over her cheeks, and she threw her arms around his neck, trying to press close to him. "I can't even get close to you anymore!" she wailed. "I still have three more months to go before our little one makes her appearance, so who knows what I'll look like by then? So much for my not getting fat." She sniffled miserably.

"Hey, listen to me. You know I won't force you to do anything with me that you're not comfortable doing, sweetheart. I just want you to know that I don't think you're fat, not one bit. I think you're still just as beautiful as the day we first met." He gave her a soft kiss and was pleased to hear her giggle.

"Jr., there is no way that you could have found me beautiful in that horrible Vector uniform. If anything, it should have made you want to boot me off the ship."

"I could look past the uniform, although I'll agree that thing was really damn ugly. Nah, the only one who nearly got booted that day was Allen. Good thing I didn't do it, though, or Shelley might not be too happy with me right now. So, is that what you really want then? You want me to keep my hands off you until the little one's born?" He caressed her cheek with his thumb, and their eyes locked.

"It's not even just the way I look, but it's also that I think I lost the desire somewhere along the way," she said with a sigh. "Maybe it's because of all the changes I'm going through with the pregnancy. Would you be angry with me if I said yes, it's what I want? At least for now?"

He shook his head and pulled her as close as he could with how her stomach had grown. "No, I won't be angry. I'll just take a lot of cold showers," he joked. He leaned forward to kiss her. "Does that mean I can't touch you at all, though?"

She rested her head upon his shoulder. "I don't have a problem with you holding me and kissing me. I'm sorry to put you through this. It's not fair, and I know that."

He lifted a hand to stroke her hair. "Don't even think you have to apologize for feeling the way you do. Now, why don't we get ready for bed? You've been way too tired lately, working with that crew. Just don't overdo it, sweetheart, okay?"

Once they'd dressed for bed and Shion was sleeping peacefully in his arms, Jr. lay awake, pondering what they'd discussed. Of course, this triggered an appearance from his twin, causing him to groan the instant he felt Albedo's presence. _One would think from that groan that you're most displeased to see me, Rubedo. How very distressing._

Jr.'s tone was one of irritation when he answered. "Yeah, I bet you're real distressed by my reaction. What do you want?"

_Leave it to you to brush off pleasantries and skip right to the point. You're nothing if not predictable_, Albedo sighed. _It seems there has been a rather interesting turn of events, and I am simply here to ask your feelings upon the matter. Checking up on you, I believe you might wish to call it._

Jr. rolled his eyes. "It's great the way you still love to mock me, Albedo. What the hell are you talking about?"

_You know precisely what I'm speaking of. The princess has decided that she no longer requires your services. I have the feeling that this means you are going to be rather difficult to live with, since your baser needs will now go unsatisfied. What do you plan on doing about it?_ There was that mocking note in Albedo's voice that never seemed to leave it, although there was also an underlying current that Jr. couldn't quite identify.

"Planning on doing about it? What do you think I'm going to do? There's not much I **can** do. I won't force Shion into doing something that she's not comfortable with, no matter how uncomfortable I get. Why the hell am I discussing this with you?" Jr. growled.

_Because I asked you to. As to what I think you would do, I do believe that in the time since I awakened within you, I've been privy to certain conversations that led me to realize that you were something of a Romeo before your relationship with the princess. Do you honestly believe that you'll be satisfied with no outlet for your passions, Rubedo? I ask this because you are much more passionate than most, and are not afraid to show it._

"I'm getting the feeling that's not a compliment, Albedo, but whatever. Look, I admit to having slept around before Shion, but that's over and done with now. I'm in love with her, and that means staying faithful to our relationship. Is there a damn reason you even care about this?" Jr. was trying to keep his voice down, despite the usual aggravation Albedo induced in him, but Shion was beginning to shift restlessly.

_As a matter of fact, there is a reason, my dear brother. You do recall how I was sent to bring you back from the depths of your misery and return you to her? I would hate to think that my efforts were a waste of my precious time. _Albedo's tone was carefully guarded, but Jr. was able to read the feelings that he was trying desperately to hide.

"After all of this, you ended up liking her, didn't you? You're worried I'm going to break her heart? Well, knock it the hell off! I'm not going anywhere on her, and I'll deal with the fact that she doesn't want me touching her like that right now. Our relationship isn't about that, Albedo," Jr. said firmly.

_I must say that up until tonight, it was certainly a shining point in your relationship with her. As to my feelings about her, that is neither here nor there, Rubedo. I'm simply looking out for my own best interests. If you were untrue or left her, she may very well come after you in a furious rage, and since I share this body with you, I doubt that would be something I would enjoy overmuch. I have felt the strength behind her anger once before, and I don't exactly wish for a repeat performance. And now, I find myself growing weary. Do try to have a good night. _Albedo's presence faded, and Jr. sighed as he shook his head.

"Now he's got me wide-awake, dammit. Since Shion settled down, I'm going to try talking to my little one." He carefully shifted Shion on to her back, checking to see that she remained asleep. He rested his head upon her stomach and said softly, "Hey, little one. I wonder if you're as wide-awake as Daddy is right now. Your uncle has the tendency to do that to him after they talk. How's it going in there?" He felt a sudden movement beneath his head, almost like something was pushing him away. He shot to a sitting position, his eyes wide.

Shion blinked her eyes sleepily. The baby's movement had awakened her, and she noticed Jr. sitting up, looking amazed. She took hold of his hand and placed it upon her stomach. "That's your daughter," she told him, smiling gently. "I think she wanted to say hi to her daddy finally."

His eyes met hers. "Can I see, sweetheart? Please? I know you're not happy with the weight you've gained now, but I just want to watch her…"

She was still for a few seconds before she nodded. He lifted her pajama top slowly, resting it above her stomach. He placed a hand upon her stomach reverently and felt that pushing movement again. "It's amazing to watch and feel her move like that," he whispered. "Is she hurting you at all?"

She shook her head. "No, she's not hurting me. There are times when it feels like she's pressing on all of my internal organs at once," she said with a laugh, "but this isn't one of them. She tends to be active at night usually. It's why I haven't been sleeping as well lately. She's a night owl like her daddy, I think."

He protested, "Hey, I've been sleeping better! I mean, yeah, I still always fall asleep after you and wake up before you, but I'm not anywhere near as bad as I used to be. Whoa, are you sure that doesn't hurt you, sweetheart?" His eyes widened again as the pushing movement came again, but slightly harder this time.

"That doesn't. It hurts when she decides that she needs to kick around an organ that she thinks is in her way. I think she's settling down for now, though." She brought her hand up to rest on his. "Now you can feel her, too," she told him, her eyes soft as they looked into his.

He pressed a kiss to her stomach. "Yeah, and I can't even begin to tell you what I'm feeling now. I don't think I have to, though. You already know how I'm feeling." He moved her pajama top back into place and then shifted so he could hold her close.

She snuggled back against him as his hand began to move in gentle circles over her stomach. "I think you're feeling just as much awe as I am at the realization that we've created this little life that's moving like that within me."

He nuzzled into her hair. "I think it's safe to say that sums it up. I love you, sweetheart," he told her. "I love you more than I ever thought possible."

He couldn't see the sleepy smile that passed across her face, but he could feel the contentment radiating from her. "I love you, too. Now, how about we get to sleep? Since she seems to have relaxed, I'd like to sleep while I can."

He chuckled. "All right. I'll see you in the morning. If she wakes you up again, don't be afraid to wake me up, too, so I can spend time with both of you." She fell asleep quickly, and he managed to fall asleep himself after a few more minutes spent thinking about what he'd experienced that night.

The next afternoon, after leaving Shion resting in the cabin, Jr. headed toward the UMN terminal. He ran into Allen and Shelley along the way. Allen glanced at Jr., a confused look on his face. "You look like someone on a mission, Jr. What's going on?" He was surprised to see Jr. flush. "Uh, sorry. I wasn't looking to embarrass you or anything."

Jr. waved a hand. "Nah, nah, don't worry about it. It's just that I kinda didn't want anyone seeing what I was going to do is all. So what are you guys up to, anyway?" he asked with a lifted eyebrow.

Shelley shook her head at him. "Little Master, I think it would be wise if you did not ask that in such a manner as to guarantee it is not an innocent question. Allen and I are on lunch duty, so we were headed in the direction of the lounge. Where is Shion? Is she resting?"

He replied, "Yeah, she's been really tired lately. Last night I found out why, too. It seems the little one has been waking her up during the night, moving all over the place." He gave them a proud grin.

Shelley smiled. "So I would take that to mean that you were able to feel the movement then? I am very happy for you, Little Master. We will of course have to make note of this for Shion's next appointment."

Allen smiled at Jr., too, but his smile seemed a little sad. "That's great, Jr.," he said quietly.

Shelley, uncaring that Jr. would surely have something to say later on, took Allen's hand in hers. She knew exactly why Allen suddenly seemed somewhat melancholy, and so she nodded to Jr. and gently led Allen off in the direction of the lounge. There was no one in there, of which Shelley was thankful for, and she brought Allen to one of the booths so they both could sit down. "Do you wish to talk to me about what you are feeling, Allen? If not, please do not feel obligated to simply because I have asked."

He reached across the table to grasp both of her hands in his. "No, I don't need to keep it from you. I think you've already figured me out, anyway. You've always seemed to be able to read me, which not everyone can claim," he told her with a small laugh.

"If you do not wish for me to do so, then please tell me. It is only because I watch you, and I watch your eyes as well. Everything you feel passes through your eyes. If one but took the time to truly look at you, then that person would see exactly what I see." She squeezed his hands lightly.

"Shelley, maybe it's because you're so quiet and sometimes have a tendency to fade into the background, too, but it's always amazed me with the things you manage to see." Their eyes met, and they leaned across the table for a quick kiss, mindful that Jr. might very well come striding in just to see what they were up to. Neither one wanted to add any more teasing than they received already by having Jr., Mary or Tony walk in to see them displaying affection. They were still very private about their relationship, even after the month they'd been together. "Anyway, I'm just afraid of possibly hurting you with what I felt when Jr. said what he said out there."

"Allen, please do not worry about my feelings. It is yours that I am concerned with at the present time," she said gently but firmly.

He sighed. "All right, I'll tell you what I felt when Jr. told us that. It made me feel a little bittersweet, I guess. I mean, I'm happy right where I am, so I hope you don't think I'm not," he hurried to say, and she smiled at him softly, her purple eyes full of understanding. "It's just weird when I think about the fact that Jr.'s feeling something that, for the longest time, I thought I'd feel someday with Shion. Does that make sense?"

"Of course it makes sense, Allen. You loved Shion for quite a length of time, and although your love for her has changed, you love her still. It is only natural for you to feel a certain amount of sadness at what the Little Master said to us. In a way, I feel I am in a better place than you. This is simply because I have lost Master Gaignun entirely. I will never need to see him with another. I do not know that I could do as you have done. I would like to say that I would be happy for Master Gaignun if he were still alive and found happiness with someone else, but I cannot say that truthfully, for I do not know. This is why you continually amaze me with the depth of your ability to love and forgive people you care about. We all need to take lessons from you, Allen Ridgeley." She got to her feet, and he followed suit, throwing caution to the wind for once and taking her into his arms.

"Listening to you reminds me of just why I fell in love with you, Shelley Godwin," he told her softly, and she blushed. "I really don't think you ever give yourself enough credit, though. And you talk about me." The teasing note in his voice caused her to smile at him, and they shared another quick kiss.

"Yes, perhaps I am guilty of not practicing what I preach at times. Still, what I said stands, Allen. I know of very few people who possess or possessed as wonderful a heart as you do. Unfortunately, we need to head into the kitchen at this time, unless you are willing to listen to the complaining we are sure to hear the instant everyone enters the lounge." Her eyes crinkled at him.

"No, I can't say that's something I'm looking forward to today. If it were anyone else on lunch duty, they'd complain, anyway," he said with a chuckle, "but we've got more pressure on us. Maybe I shouldn't have learned how to cook…" They both laughed and then hurried into the kitchen.

With Allen and Shelley gone and Shion sleeping as soundly as she could, Jr. rushed toward the UMN terminal before he was caught by someone else. He keyed in the coordinates for who he wished to contact quickly, glancing around to be sure he was still alone. "Come on, come on," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

The screen filled with the image of an elderly man. "Hmm, do I know you, young man? Oh, wait! If I remember correctly, you would be the one who purchased that necklace some time ago. It was a present for your 'girlfriend,' wasn't it? Did she find it to her liking?"

Jr. nodded quickly. "Yeah, she did. Look, I need to know if I can buy something else from you now."

The elderly man assumed a thoughtful expression. "That would depend on what you're looking for. I have been able to create some new pieces as of late."

Jr. took a deep breath. "This is what I'm looking for…"

--- A few days later ---

On the lower level, Shion was returning to her usual position by Scott when a wave of tiredness struck her. She'd gone over to quickly speak to Shelley about the appointment she'd had yesterday with Charles, ignoring the Professor's annoyed sighs. After they'd finished talking quietly, she'd made her way back over, but now she found herself stumbling. Scott rushed to her side, grabbing her arm to support her and waving to Allen and Shelley to assure them he could handle things. "Thank you, Scott," Shion murmured, keeping hold of his arm as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Shion, maybe you need to go upstairs and rest," he told her. "You look like you're about ready to keel over, and you've been worrying all of us lately with how tired you look."

She sat down at the table within the room and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. If I just sit for a minute or two, I'll be okay." She gave him a tired smile. "You sounded just like Jr., you know." Noticing a guilty look pass across his face fleetingly, she began to wonder what he would have to feel guilty over. Suddenly, it struck her. "**That's **why he was so quick to agree to not bothering me down here, isn't it, Scott?" she cried angrily.

He tried to look confused, but he knew he was failing at it horribly. "Uh, what do you mean? I don't know anything about the Little Master!"

She raged, "He set you on me as his way of keeping an eye on things, didn't he? I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself, and I don't need a constant babysitter! I bet the wheels started turning the instant I told him the Professor didn't really want him around while I was down here! How long did it take him to come to you about looking after me?"

Scott looked terrified and threw a pleading glance in Allen and Shelley's direction. The Professor, for once, seemed too involved in whatever he was occupied with to notice the scene going on. Allen and Shelley hurried over, and Shion aimed a scathing glare at them as well. Scott babbled, "I couldn't say no to him, Shion! He's in charge of the ship, and who knows what he'd do to me if I told him I wouldn't do it!"

Shion replied heatedly, "And do you have any idea what I'd like to do now that I know you've been watching my every move for him? And I bet the two of you have been doing the same thing!" Her green eyes shot sparks at Allen and Shelley.

Allen quickly looked toward Shelley, who shook her head in negation of what Shion had said. "Shion," he said calmly, "neither one of us has talked to Jr. about you. Yelling at Scott's not going to help, though. He was only doing what Jr. asked him to do, so maybe you need to have a talk with Jr. about it. Besides, Scott's right, anyway. You look like you're going to pass out, so maybe you should head upstairs to rest."

She pursed her lips. "Oh, I'll head upstairs, all right. I won't be going up to rest, though! When I find a certain red-haired captain, he's going to wish he'd never said one word to Scott!" She stood up, wavering a little as she tried to maintain her balance. Scott reached out to steady her, but the look he received caused him to draw his hand back quickly. "You'd be wise not to continue following Jr.'s orders, Scott," she snapped. "They won't be active for much longer!" She departed immediately after, her back ramrod-straight with anger.

Allen, Scott and Shelley stood silently for a minute. Allen broke the hush that had fallen over them by asking, "Is it just me, or have the two of you noticed that she seems to be really…cranky lately?"

Shelley placed a hand on the arm of the trembling Scott. "Scott, do not worry," she told him quietly. "It is not you that Shion is angry with, although she had no right to treat you in that manner. As for her being more difficult to deal with, Allen, that is something that has been discussed with Charles. It seems that Shion has entered the final trimester of her pregnancy, and that is a trying time. She is experiencing muscle aches and sleeplessness, leading to her being miserable in general. It would be best not to allow her to upset you in any way when she acts as she just did."

Scott smiled weakly. "Yeah, I see what you're saying, Shelley. I was just following orders from the Little Master. I mean, would you say no to him?"

Shelley answered sagely, "I would, yes. I have known him for far longer than you have, however, and am aware that his bark is far worse than his bite. I understand your position, though, and am sure that the Little Master did everything within his power to terrify you into doing what he wished."

Allen nodded in agreement. "Hey, I know how Jr. can come across, trust me. Come on, let's get back to work before the Professor gets his nose out of whatever it is he's been doing and notices we're all slacking off." Scott hurried off without another word, and Allen and Shelley returned to their work place. "I feel really bad for Scott. What a place to be in… Jr. wants one thing, Shion wants something else, and Scott's stuck in the middle of two opposing wills. And to be stuck in between those two opposing wills isn't something I'd be wishing on anyone."

Shelley said quietly, "I am of the same opinion. I do feel, however, that Scott must learn to stand up to the Little Master somewhat, or the Little Master will continually run roughshod all over him. It is something he will learn from being in constant contact with him. Mary and I are living proof." She shared a soft laugh with Allen before they both bowed their heads to return to work.

Shion stepped off the elevator on the upper level, taking a minute to compose herself. She brought a hand to her stomach, feeling the baby move strongly. "Are you upset with Daddy, too? Or maybe you're just picking up on Mommy's feelings right now… Either way, what do you say we go find him?" She set off in the direction of the bridge, hurrying through the door when she arrived there.

Jr. glanced back to see her enter the room and walked quickly over to her to greet her. "Hey, sweetheart," he said softly, pulling her into his arms and leaning in to kiss her.

_Stay calm for now. Don't let him know how angry you are, since there's no sense in confronting him in front of the Captain, Hammer and Tony._ She smiled at him brightly. "Jr., could I talk to you alone? In our cabin, I mean? There's something we need to discuss."

He looked back toward Captain Matthews. "You guys okay for now without me? Yeah, yeah, I know. Not like you needed me to begin with, right?" he said with a laugh. His gaze returned to Shion. "Sure, we can go and talk. Come on." He led her off the bridge and to their cabin. Once inside it, he turned to her with a questioning look upon his face. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

The change in her was instantaneous. Furious color rose high on her cheeks, and her eyes began to flash. "Just what did you think you were doing, Jr.? I'm capable of looking after myself, you know! I don't need you assigning Scott to me as a babysitter!"

_Crap, she found me out. What the hell do I say to her to calm her down? Damn, I only did it because that crackpot old man wouldn't let me do it myself!_ He replied, "Look, you know I worry about you, sweetheart. And you've been so tired lately because you haven't been sleeping real well. So, all I wanted him to do was make sure that you came to rest when you got too tired. I mean, it's not like I could go down and check up on you myself!"

She stamped her foot slightly. "I don't need you constantly checking up on me! I'm not a child, Jr.! For God's sake, I'm pregnant, not made out of glass! How many times do we have to go over this?!"

"I didn't say you were made out of glass, Shion! Is it so damn wrong of me to want to keep an eye on the woman I love because she's carrying my child and has the tendency to work until she drops from exhaustion? I can't help that it's who I am to want to look after you!" He stopped for a few seconds before continuing. "Look at yourself in the mirror right now. You're about ready to pass out from exhaustion now, and that's not good for you or the baby!"

"I know my body better than you do. I know what I'm capable of handling and what I'm not. And if you have to know, I was planning on coming up to lie down for a while after a few more minutes of working. Getting Scott to do your dirty work for you was wrong, Rubedo!" While she never called him that, she was upset over the fact that he'd once again gone behind her back to do something, and she wanted to push back at him just a little. She was tired of body aches and feeling exhausted, and it was making her irritable with everyone.

He stiffened at the use of his original name. His first reaction was to shout that he hated that name and didn't want to ever hear it from her again. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he refused to give in to it. He responded quietly, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know I can be overbearing at times, but it's because I love the two of you so damn much. I don't want anything to happen to you, and I'm used to being the one to look after you. Since I couldn't, I asked Scott to do it for me. I should have talked to you first, and I realize that now." Biting his lip, he tackled the topic of her use of "Rubedo." "If you feel you've got to use that name, I'll deal with it. It doesn't make me happy, but since I love you and am obviously an idiot, I'll give in on it."

Listening to him made her realize that one thing was never going to change: he was a protector by nature, and he felt it was his duty was to protect her and their child. She said softly, "Yes, you can be overbearing, but I know it's because you love us so much. I'm just so crazy irritable right now that I don't know if I'm coming or going. You did need to talk it over with me first, though. Then I wouldn't have jumped all over Scott like that." A guilty look crossed her face. "While we're discussing your original name, however, I'd like to point out that you did once give me permission to use it."

He gave her a look that plainly said he thought she was joking, and not doing a good job of it, either. "And when exactly did I do that? You know how much I hate that name, sweetheart, so I can't believe I'd say it was okay for you to call me by a damn name I'd like to forget about."

She shot him a mischievous look, and he raised an eyebrow at her. "When we first met, you introduced yourself as 'Jr., Gaignun Jr.' Then you went on to say that you had a real name, but you were going to leave it at that for the time being. So see? You gave me permission to use it right there!"

He laughed and slid his arms around her waist as tightly as he could to draw her near. "I seriously doubt that's how I meant it, but I'm not going to fight you on it. Does that mean you're not going to use it, though?" he asked with a bit of a pleading note in his voice.

She shook her head at him. "No, I'm not going to. Honestly, I only called you by that name because I'm cranky and irritable and just generally miserable. I was angry over what you had done, and I was being childish when I look back at it. I'm sorry," she said softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "If I'm this bad now, I shudder to think just how bad I'll be in a few weeks. Now's your time to run, you know." Although she spoke the words teasingly, he could hear the tremble in them. It was obvious that she feared he might take it into his head to leave her because of how she'd been acting lately.

He pulled away from her and took her hand in his, leading her toward the bed. He felt the hesitation in her and turned to cup her chin in his hand. "Relax, sweetheart," he said soothingly. "You know I won't force you into doing anything. That's not why I want you to sit down." She nodded, accepting his kiss, and then he brought her to the bed and helped her to sit down. He hunched down in front of her. "I've got something that I want to talk to you about, too, and what you just said convinced me that this is the right time for me to do it."

A slightly frightened look settled upon her face. "Jr., why do you seem so serious? You're scaring me, because you rarely ever look as serious as you do right now."

He took her hand in his again, pressing a kiss to it. "I don't mean to scare you. It's just that what I have to say is a pretty serious thing, so that's why I look this way. And I have to hope that I do it right, because it's the only time I ever plan on doing it." Her confused green eyes met his solemn blue ones. He stretched up a hand to touch her face briefly before getting on one knee before her. He watched her eyes widen, and he smiled at her gently. "I love you so damn much. It's something I never thought I'd feel, or if I did, that the one I loved would never love me back. I've spent a helluva lot of my life worrying that I'd never find love or have kids, and in you, I've gotten both. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, sweetheart. I want us to be a family together, along with that little one you're keeping safe right now." He brought his free hand to rest against the swell of her stomach before drawing a breath to continue. "What I want to know is this: Shion Uzuki, will you marry me?"

She snatched her hand from his to bring both hands to her mouth and lower her head so that he couldn't see the expression on her face. She remained like that for a long enough time that he began to feel nervousness course through his body. _Oh, Jesus, what if I screwed up totally? I thought it was the right time since we've been together for eight months now, and we've been through so much crap and come out stronger for it. But maybe she thinks I'm pushing too hard, and what if she freakin' runs on me?_ He had just said her name in a hoarse voice when she finally looked at him, tears streaming over her cheeks. "Yes," she said simply, and his heart leapt at the sound of her voice before he even took note of what she'd said.

Their eyes met as the fact that she'd answered him affirmatively registered, and he slid his arms around her, resting his head on her legs. "You scared the hell outta me, Shion," he groaned. "I thought I'd lost you because I'd jumped too damn soon."

She stroked his crimson hair with gentle fingers. "No, I was just trying to process what you'd said to me. I never thought you'd get down on one knee and propose to me, Gaignun Kukai Jr.," she teased.

He lifted his head to stare up at her. "Only for you, sweetheart. Damn, I almost forgot!" He reached into the pocket of his duster jacket and withdrew a small jewelry box. "Okay, so it didn't go exactly the way it should have, but I came damn close, don't you think?" She giggled softly before he opened the box and removed the ring from it. "Let me see your hand." She gave him her left hand, and he slid the engagement ring onto her ring finger. "I hope you like it, sweetheart," he said tentatively. She studied the ring intently for a minute or two, moving her hand slightly to allow the diamonds to catch the light. Trying to fill in the silence, he told her about it. "It's a 1-carat marquise diamond ring set in 14k gold, with the three larger stones in the middle representing the past, present and future idea from your necklace. I knew what I wanted to get you, and luckily the old guy I got your necklace from had exactly what I was looking for. I've been carrying it in my pocket for a few days now, just waiting for the right time to give it to you. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful, Jr. I'm guessing that this was what you were saving up for all that time then?" she asked, wrinkling her nose at him. "You enjoyed keeping that secret far too much, you do know that?"

He got to his feet and sat beside her, feeling her move close enough to drop her head to his shoulder. "Yeah, I kinda did, but it's only because I wanted to surprise you. It's not like I get to surprise you all that much. I can't spoil you the way I want to, so you have to allow me a few luxuries, you know."

She snuggled against him. "I think you spoil me enough, sir. Now that we're engaged, though, how are we going to go about getting married? I mean, it's not like we have anyone aboard the ship that can officiate a marriage, let alone legalize it."

He kissed her temple. "True, but I've got an idea. You'll have to give me a chance to see if I can get the idea to work, but I'm betting I can. It won't be legal in any case, but we'll be married in our hearts, and that means a helluva lot more to me than any record stating that we are." They kissed softly, and as if to show support of what they'd been discussing, the baby gave a kick. Jr. pressed a hand against Shion's stomach with a grin. "I think she's happy about it."


	24. Changes Aboard The Elsa Part 2

Later on that evening, the two of them walked into the lounge for dinner. They'd deliberately waited until they knew everyone would be gathered to make their appearance. "You ready, sweetheart?" Jr. murmured in Shion's ear. She nodded at him, her eyes shining. He shouted, "Hey, do you think you can stop eating long enough for me and Shion to make an announcement?"

Tony yelled, "How many announcements you two plan on making? And it better not have to do with…" He shot Jr. a severe look, and Jr. shook his head back at him. No one aboard the Elsa knew that he and Shion weren't sexually active at the present time, and he didn't feel anyone needed to know that. He simply put up with Tony still zinging him at times about the pilot seat.

"Well, we're hoping this is the last one, at least until we get to announce a new arrival," Jr. replied laughingly, sliding his arms around Shion's waist and resting his hands on her stomach. "Anyway, the announcement…" He'd lost his train of thought when Shion had pressed back against him due to his body's reaction, but he coughed and kept her in front of him for the time being. "Uh, Shion and I thought we'd…uh…" He was losing it again because Shion was snuggling against him in anticipation of what he was going to say. Attempting to refocus his attention, he rushed to say, "Shion and I thought we'd take the next step. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes!"

Silence fell over the lounge, but it was obvious that everyone was simply trying to absorb the news before they showed any reaction. Finally, Matthews spoke up. "I hate to point somethin' like this out, Little Master, but how are you planning on gettin' married? I mean, it ain't like there's anyone on this ship that can perform one of them ceremonies."

Jr. waved that away. "Yeah, I know that, but like I told Shion, I've got an idea. With us traveling like this, it's going to be a long damn time before Shion and I can officially get married. So I was thinking along the lines of a mock ceremony for now, if you guys are willing."

Matthews looked confused. "What would you need us for?"

Jr. chuckled. "Well, think about it. We need witnesses and someone to officiate it. I want to make it as real as we can, so when Shion and I can get married, all we need is a damn record of it. What do you think?"

Tony leaned back in the booth. "What if you're stuck looking like that, Little Master? Then I really don't see you and Shion standing a chance of making the marriage legal, anyway."

Shion answered him. "Jr.'s changed quite a bit over the time we've been on this journey. He certainly doesn't look twelve anymore, does he? I don't think the changes are just going to stop. It may take some time, but to me it's obvious that eventually he's going to look the way he's supposed to. I'm not worried," she finished with a smile, and Jr. grinned at everyone.

"So I was thinking that you could officiate, Matthews. And then Shion and I could ask who we wanted to be the witnesses. With me so far?"

Matthews did a double-take. "You can't be serious, Little Master! What the hell do I know about runnin' a wedding ceremony?"

"Enough for it to work. I've got faith in you, Matthews," Jr. responded with a laugh. "Now about those witnesses… How about you choose first, sweetheart?" Shion turned to him with wide eyes. "As long as you don't pick the Professor, I've got no problems," he whispered in her ear, causing her to giggle.

She stepped away from him, her eyes on Shelley, who was sitting with Allen in their usual booth in the back of the lounge. Shelley turned slightly to glance at Allen, who nodded at her. Shion stopped in front of the table. "Shelley, you don't have to agree if you don't want to, but I'd like it to be you."

Shelley was quiet for a few seconds as her eyes relayed to Allen that they would speak later on. "May I give you an answer sometime later, Shion? While I do believe it will be positive, you are aware of how I must analyze things first."

Shion nodded with a smile. "Of course, Shelley! I'd lean down to hug you, but that's not something I can accomplish anymore."

Allen laughed. "I'd say I wonder why that is, but I have a feeling it'd just end in violence. Congratulations, Shion, and Jr.," he added as Jr. came up to stand behind Shion.

Jr. seemed somewhat restrained as he accepted Allen's words. "Thanks, Allen," he said quietly. "So, since Shelley's not giving you an answer right now, how about you help me decide who I'm going to choose?" He led Shion away from Allen and Shelley's table, looking uncomfortable.

"Jr., what's wrong?" Shion asked in a low voice. "You're not acting like yourself suddenly."

"I guess because I feel guilty in a way, sweetheart. I've ended up with the things Allen wanted with you, and I know if I were in his place, I couldn't have said congratulations. I promised him a while ago, though, that I'd be good to you, and I plan on keeping that promise." He kissed her softly. "About my choice of witness now…or maybe I should say best man? That's what they call it, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, unless you were to pick a female, then you'd have to change it. If Shelley agrees, then she'll be my maid of honor." She giggled again, and he gave her a questioning glance. "It's just a little strange to be thinking in these terms. I'd never have expected to be getting married aboard the Elsa."

"Well, I can't say I ever expected to be getting married period, so I'm not real picky where it takes place," he replied, grinning at her. "Anyway, do you think it'd be a bad idea to ask Mary if she'd be willing to be my…best woman, I guess I'd call it then?"

Shion looked a little alarmed. "I don't know that you'd want to do that, Jr. While things are much better between the three of us, you have to remember that she loved you very much and that it might be difficult for her to stand beside us and watch us get married. Even if it's symbolic at this point, I don't think that'll make much of a difference. It's up to you in the end, but I think you might want to reconsider."

Jr. sighed heavily. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Even after the time we spent fighting, she's still the one I think of when it comes to certain things because we've always been so close. Damn, now who am I gonna ask?" He appeared to be lost in thought for a minute before his eyes lit up. "Hey, what about Tony?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you think he can get past the fact that we did that in his pilot seat? He jokes about it a lot, but I wonder if he's just covering up how he really feels."

He shook his head, laughing. "Nah, Tony isn't like that, trust me. If he was that pissed about it, he'd let us know. He just likes to be a wiseass, kinda like me. Come on, let's grab him before he takes off on us." He took her by the hand and pulled her in the direction of the table that the Elsa crew was still seated at. Matthews had his head in his hands, and he was muttering to himself. Tony and Hammer looked up, realizing he was ignoring them as they tried to talk to him.

"Hey, congrats there, you two," Tony greeted them with a laugh. "What brings you over here? I think you've got the Captain ready for a beer or five with what you just dropped in his lap, Little Master."

Hammer put a hand to his head protectively. "That means he's going to be in a bad mood on the bridge, and you know who gets the brunt of that, right?"

Jr. patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Sorry, Hammer. Hey, Tony, I've got a question for you. Would you be willing to be the best man?"

Tony eyed him suspiciously. "As long as that doesn't mean asking me to borrow the pilot seat or anything…"

Shion shot a furtive look at Jr., and he slid an arm around her expanding waist to draw her near. "Don't worry about that. So does that mean you'll do it?"

Tony lounged back against the booth, putting his arms on the back of it. "Yeah, I guess I could help ya out with it. After all, you're marrying a damn fine woman there. I tried way back when to get her to spend some time with me, but if I'm remembering right, both Allen and the Captain cut in on my efforts. So ya got good taste, Little Master."

Jr. joked, "It's probably a damn good thing I wasn't there, because I might have been cutting in on the effort, too. You talk about how bad I was, but I recall an awful lot of women on the Durandal and at the Foundation wanting a word with you after a while. And I pretty much got the hint that it was after you'd left them high and dry." He and Tony grinned at each other. "Okay, well, I don't think I mentioned this small detail, but I'd like this to happen real soon, like within a week soon. I want Shion to be my wife before our little one arrives."

Matthews raised his head suddenly. "You're giving us a damn week? Well, that's time enough to get started on the drinkin'. And I guess I'd better start working on trying to figure out how to officiate this wedding ceremony." He stood up and headed toward the bar, laughter following him.

Mary, who'd been busy cleaning up, stopped by the table where Jr., Shion, Tony and Hammer were gathered. She hugged both Jr. and Shion, although she had a bit more difficulty embracing Shion. "Congratulations, ya two! I'm real happy for ya." She gave them a beaming smile. "The way y'all rush things, though, I'm surprised it took ya this long to come up with gettin' married!" Before they had talked out their problems, her statement would have come across petulantly, but now they knew she was just poking fun at them. "If we only got a week, we gotta get movin'! Gotta make it nice and all, right?" She engaged everyone in conversation about the wedding, and Allen and Shelley took that time to sneak out of the lounge and downstairs to the room Shelley shared with Mary.

When they arrived there, Allen turned to Shelley. "Hey, how come you wouldn't give Shion an answer upstairs? What you told her made sense, but I think I know you well enough by now to know you were dodging her."

Shelley sighed quietly. "You are right. I was attempting to dodge her until I could speak to you first. I did not feel that I could safely give her an answer until I had discussed it with you. We are involved in a relationship now, and the fact of the matter is that with your past relationship with Shion, I thought it best if I asked you your feelings upon what Shion wishes of me."

Allen took her hand in his. "Okay, I've got it now. Shelley, I understand why you wanted to talk to me first, but please listen to me when I say you don't need my permission to tell Shion you want to do it." He saw she was about to protest, and he hurried to continue. "I'm in a good place now, and I'm honestly happy for Shion and Jr. I can't say there isn't a small part of me that's wondering about what might have been, but I think that's pretty normal under the circumstances. I'm more interested in us and our relationship, though. It's time we stopped thinking about how Jr. and Shion affect us, Shelley. Shion's moved on, and so have I. So if you want to tell Shion you're willing to be her maid of honor, then trust me when I tell you that I don't have a problem with it."

Shelley looked into his eyes and realized he was telling her the truth. "As long as you are positive, Allen, then I will let Shion know that I am available to be her maid of honor. Please know that your feelings will always come first for me, though. I am happy to know, however, that you are in such a good place now," she told him with a soft smile. She stepped closer to him, and after a few seconds of hesitation, he circled his arms around her waist. "I believe it is safe to say that I am in as good a place as you are, Allen Ridgeley."

He gave her a small grin. "That's good to hear, and also something I'm not used to hearing. It might take me a while before I am."

She slid her arms around his neck, her purple eyes looking deeply into his blue ones. "Then I shall be sure to say it to you often, so that you are able to become used to it very quickly." They shared a kiss, in no great rush to return to the lounge. Shelley knew she needed to give Shion her answer, but she felt she was in the place she needed to be at that moment.

--- A week later ---

"Mary, come on!" Jr. groaned. "It's not like I haven't seen her every damn day of our freakin' relationship! Why the hell can't I see her now?" He tried to slip past Mary, but Shelley appeared behind her.

"Little Master, Mary has a reason for her refusal to allow you inside the cabin, and I happen to agree with it. Please enlighten him as to your reason while I assist Shion with getting dressed." Shelley disappeared as quickly as she'd appeared.

Mary bounced a little, her blue eyes sparkling. "It's tradition, Little Mastah, from way back in Lost Jerusalem times! I remember hearin' about it somewhere or 'nother. The groom ain't allowed to see the bride before they go and get hitched! It's supposed to be bad luck or somethin'. Besides, don't ya think it'd be nice to be all surprised when ya see her at the ceremony?"

Jr. growled, "No! I want to see her now! Dammit, Mary, you wouldn't let me see her last night, either, and I'm guessing it had to with this crap you're telling me about tradition. Hey, what the hell are you doing?" he yelped as she pushed him out of the doorway.

"It ain't gonna be all that much longer, Little Mastah! I know patience ain't your strong suit, but I think ya can hang on a lil' bit longer! See ya at the ceremony!" The door closed on her laugh. Unable to do anything else, Jr. stomped off toward the lounge.

"I think you are ready, Shion," Shelley said a little while later as she added the finishing touches to Shion's hairstyle.

Mary, who had gotten into preparations for the wedding with a vigor no one had expected, cried, "Oh, wow, Shion! Ya look really beautiful! The Little Mastah's eyes might just pop out when he sees ya!"

Shion smoothed down her outfit over her stomach with a laugh. "I'd hate to see that happen, Mary. Anyway, are you two sure I don't look huge in this outfit? I know I'm not hiding the fact that my stomach has gotten pretty round, but I just want to make sure I don't look horrible."

Shelley hugged her gently. "You look, as Mary has already said, beautiful. Now I do believe it is time for us to bring you to the lounge so that the ceremony can begin. I have the ring you purchased for the Little Master, so please do not worry."

Shion drew a deep breath before replying. "All right, you two. Let's get going before I get cold feet." Mary and Shelley followed her out of the cabin, laughing quietly.

In the lounge, Jr. was busy pulling at his collared shirt in irritation. "Damn, this thing's annoying the hell outta me! And I think my tie is too tight since I feel like I'm choking."

Tony joked, "Maybe you're getting cold feet or something. Feeling the urge to run off? Although if you were to take off on Shion, you wouldn't have many places to hide."

Jr. grumbled, "No, I'm not going anywhere, but damn, I really hate this shirt. Maybe -" He came to a sudden halt as the lounge door slid open, and Mary snuck inside with Shelley not far behind. "Where is she?" he demanded, craning his neck impatiently. He didn't have long to wait, as a few seconds later, Shion appeared in the doorway. "Oh, Jesus, she looks beautiful," he breathed. She was wearing an ivory pant set that had come from Melissa, but that she felt was too dressy for simple every day wear around the Elsa. Her hair was put up, braids flowing from the side and disappearing into the back where there was an elegant bun. To complete the look, and he also felt as a tribute to Jin, there were two hair sticks placed within it. He knew his jaw had dropped, but his brain refused to communicate the necessary information that was needed to close his mouth.

Mary rushed off to join Allen, Hammer, Scott, and a rather bored-looking Professor at one of the tables. The lounge had been transformed, mostly due to her and her direction. She hadn't been upset when she'd learned that Shion had been worried about her reaction if the Little Master asked her to stand beside him; instead, she'd taken it upon herself to turn the mock ceremony into something memorable for them. Shelley preceded Shion up to where Jr. and Tony were standing in front of Matthews, who looked as though he wanted to be anywhere else. Jr. took Shion's hands in his when she finally stood before him. "I'm thinking Mary might have been right about it being nice to be surprised," he told her, somewhat grudgingly because he hated to admit that Mary had been right to push him away from the cabin. "You look absolutely beautiful, sweetheart." He let go of one of her hands to caress her cheek softly.

"You spruce up very nicely yourself, sir," she teased gently, her eyes roaming over him. Having outgrown his tuxedo from their date on her birthday, he'd been forced to hunt down a new outfit for the wedding. He was wearing a dark blue collared, button-down shirt with a matching tie, darkly colored dress pants, and dress shoes. "My goodness, someone might think you were getting married or something. I'm thinking the earring doesn't quite match up, though."

He grinned at her. "The earring's not going anywhere, and you know it. And **I'm** thinking you're picking up my wise guy ways." He leaned in to kiss her, and Matthews took that time to protest.

"Hey, now, you're supposed to wait until the end to do that, Little Master! You stuck me in this damn role, and I'm gonna do the best I can with it. So back away from the former Ms. Vector 'til I give the word, got it?" Matthews glowered at Jr., who made a face but backed away from Shion somewhat. "Okay, I ain't promising anything fancy here, but let's get started. Everybody sitting down that needs to be? Good, 'cause I ain't doing this again if anyone misses it. You know why we're here, since the Little Master and Shion decided they needed to go and get married and rope me into standing in front of them like a moron. I'm gonna ask the question right in the beginning so we don't need to worry about nobody makin' a scene later on. Does anybody here not want to see these two get married or what?"

Jr. looked around and saw the Professor's hand inching into the air. "Just sit there, old man. You've made it damn obvious you don't like me, but ruin my wedding and we're gonna have issues."

The Professor muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "Arrogant pup!" but lowered his hand. Matthews rolled his eyes and said, "You guys got your own thing you want to say to each other, right? Saves me from looking like a total moron here if you do."

Shion nodded at him with a smile. "Yes, we do. I'm going to go first, if everyone's prepared to listen." She took Jr.'s hands in hers and moved slightly closer to him. "I love you so very much, Gaignun Kukai Jr. With that said, I promise to always love and honor you throughout our life together." Her smile turned mischievous. "I can't promise to always obey you, though, because you know that's not going to happen." Jr. laughed at her silently, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. "Whatever obstacles get thrown in our path, I know we can overcome them. We've overcome so many things already that anything else is going to be simple. In you, and also in our little one when she blesses us with her appearance, I've regained the family that I once had before I lost my parents and then Jin. I promise to always cherish the both of you, and if our family grows beyond that, them as well." Shelley handed her the ring, smiling at her gently. "This ring stands as proof of my promise to you today." She slid the ring onto Jr.'s ring finger of his left hand. "Just remember that the promise to obey doesn't come attached to it."

He laughed at her again, although the laugh wasn't silent like it had been the last time. "I'll try to keep it in mind, sweetheart. Now I guess it's time for what I want to say to you. I've loved you for a long time, though I admit to needing a push in the right direction to admit to it. I never once thought that you'd do me the honor of loving me back. Now that you have, I'm going to do everything in my power to take care of you and that little one you're keeping safe. The two of you are my world, and just like you, I've regained the family that I lost. And I have a family that I know I can trust in now. I love you, and I will spend the rest of my life making you happy. I don't want you to ever regret the chance you gave me." Tony made a big show of looking for the ring until Jr. glared at him; then he surrendered it with a grin. Jr. slid the ring onto Shion's finger and gazed into her eyes. "I'm giving you this ring today as proof that I will love you and our family for the rest of my life." His hand curved around the back of her neck, drawing her near.

Matthews bellowed, "Hey, I'm in charge of this damn ceremony, so just wait until I'm done with what I've gotta do!" Jr. raised an eyebrow at him, encouraging him to finish up and to do it quickly. "Okay, so looks to me like the two of you are gonna make each other happy. Let's keep it that way, since the Elsa's a pretty small ship and all. Now you can do what you were going to, but wait until I turn my back because I don't need to be seeing it." He turned away as Jr. drew Shion close again and kissed her thoroughly. Her arms slid around his neck, and Tony and Shelley glanced at one another, shaking their heads in bemusement. Finally, Jr. and Shion pulled apart, and Matthews turned back to say to everyone, "Well, I guess this means I can introduce 'em as Mr. and Mrs. Gaignun Kukai Jr. And that just felt weird to be usin' the Little Master's name like that," he griped, heading off toward the bar.

Since there hadn't been time enough to plan any kind of party for Jr. and Shion with how quickly Jr. had wanted the wedding to happen, everyone had decided that it would be easier to have one following the ceremony. There weren't many gifts to open, due to lack of funds, and everyone had paired up with someone else to give a gift to them. Mary pushed the gift that she'd gotten with Tony toward Shion. "Ya gotta open that one first! Tony and me thought real hard about this, and we think you're gonna like it. Both of ya, that is," she said with a wink that made Shion glance at Jr., who simply shrugged.

Shion opened the gift leisurely and then shifted the top off the clothes box inside. Her face turned bright red immediately, and she tried to keep Jr. from looking inside it. "Hey, come on, sweetheart! It's supposed to be a gift for both of us, right? That means I get to see it, too!" He took the box from her and moved the tissue paper Shion had hastily thrown over what was inside so he could see what had her so flustered. He flushed instantly. "Was there really a damn reason the two of you needed to get this?" he growled.

Tony clapped him on the shoulder. "Oh, don't even try to pretend you're not likin' it, Little Master! I talked it over with Mary, and she thought it'd be a nice thing to get for you guys since you have the cabin to yourselves now. I mean, we're not expecting Shion to wear it until after the baby's born, but after Mary convinced me, I knew you'd appreciate her in it when she could wear it. Besides, with her hair color, I'm thinking she'll look good in red. Too bad I ain't gonna see it," he threw at Shion with a playful leer. She buried her burning face in Jr.'s shoulder in response to it.

Images of Shion in the lingerie lying in that box entered Jr.'s mind, and he clamped down on them hard. "How about we open the next gift?" he asked her, his voice slightly strangled.

Thankfully, none of the other gifts caused Jr. or Shion embarrassment since all of them were practical. A while after they'd finished opening gifts, Jr. saw that Shion was growing weary from being awake as long as she'd been, and he took her arm gently. "How about we say goodnight to everyone, sweetheart? While I don't mind you falling asleep in my arms, I think it's better if you fall asleep in my arms in our bed."

Shion smiled at him softly and pressed a hand against his cheek. "As much as I'd like to stay awake and spend time with everyone, I am starting to get tired. Our little one is wide-awake, though. I don't know that I'll be falling asleep right away when we return to the cabin." Her hand left his cheek to take his hand and guide it to her stomach.

He felt the strong kick and grinned proudly. "Yeah, seems like she's just as excited as we are. Come on, let's go tell everyone to have fun without us." He guided her toward the table that everyone was gathered at, either drinking or talking amongst one another. "Look, we're gonna head back to the cabin since Shion's getting pretty tired from all the activity. I want to say thanks to all of you. It was great that you were all willing to spend this day with us and do as much as you did."

Shion leaned against him. "Yes, thank you very much. I wish I could think of more to say, but my brain is slowing down," she said with a tired smile.

Everyone shouted out their congratulations, and amidst it all, Jr. and Shion disappeared from the lounge to head toward their cabin. Allen and Shelley glanced at one another after they'd watched the door close behind them. "This has been a pretty interesting day, hasn't it?" Allen said with a small laugh.

Shelley nodded. "I did not foresee this. While I knew they cared for one another, I did not see how an attempt at a wedding ceremony could possibly work. It has made me ponder certain things, if I were to be honest with you."

Allen shot her a confused look. "What do you mean by 'certain things'? I have to say, though, that your sister really outdid herself with all that she managed to do for them. Look at the lounge. Tablecloths, centerpieces, and lights strung around the whole room. I'm a little surprised that she was able to bring herself to do it."

Quiet pride emanated from Shelley. "Yes, Mary did a wonderful job. She is not one to hold onto a grudge; it is simply not her nature. Having discussed how she felt with the Little Master and Shion, she has now moved on. We spoke of this not long after she had relocated to the lower level, and she had decided that she only wished to be happy that the Little Master was happy. It seems that all she truly wanted was for them to listen to what she needed to say. As to the 'certain things' I was speaking of, I must admit I was daydreaming at times during the ceremony. Daydreaming is something I do not do often."

Allen grinned at her. "I was daydreaming, too. I mean, I know it's way too early to think of the two of us doing what Jr. and Shion just did, but it's still kind of nice to think about. Don't you think?"

Since Mary, Tony, Hammer and the Captain all had their attention elsewhere, Shelley rested her head against his shoulder. "Yes, daydreams are indeed very pleasant things to contemplate, Allen." She felt his arm slip around her waist, and she closed her eyes.

"Hey, are you getting tired, too? I'll drop you off at your room if you are. I think everyone else is planning on hanging around for a while. Well, except for the Professor and Scott since they left a while ago. I'm feeling a little tired myself," he said with a yawn that he tried to conceal.

After she'd confessed to wishing to retire, he helped her to her feet. They looked back at everyone before heading through the doorway of the lounge. "I think they all had a better time than the bride and groom," Allen joked, and then they made their way down to the lower level. They said a soft goodnight at the door to the room Shelley shared with Mary, Shelley stepping into Allen's arms and lifting her face for his kiss. It had taken some time before he'd become comfortable enough to initiate any kissing between them, but now he pressed his mouth to hers in a gentle kiss that caused her to slide her arms around his neck to hold him close. They pulled apart with mutual sighs, and Allen headed off down the hallway, feeling almost absurdly happy. Shelley watched him go with a contented smile on her face before entering her room and allowing the door to close behind her.

In their cabin, Jr. was holding Shion close, reveling in the fact that she was now his wife in spirit, if not in actual name. "I've got a question for you," he murmured in her ear as his hand drifted under her pajama top to caress her stomach. The baby moved against his hand, and he smiled to himself.

"And what is that?" she said quietly, bringing her hand to rest on his.

"What exactly do you plan on calling yourself now? I know we're not technically married, but I just wondered if you're going to keep the Uzuki last name or…" He trailed off, unsure of whether or not he should continue.

She snuggled back against him, and he nuzzled her neck. "Well, I was thinking that I'd like to have the same last name that my husband has and our child will have." She turned to face him, her eyes gazing intently into his. "Because I don't care about technicalities, Jr. I used to, but there's no sense to it now. You are my husband in my heart, and that's all the technicality I need. So that means I'm going to be Shion Kukai from this point on."

He covered her mouth with his, and he felt her hands slide up his chest. He pulled back to say, "I want you to know that I feel the same, Shion. You're my wife now, and I don't give a damn about not having a record stating it as fact. I also want you to know that you don't have to do anything that you don't want to, just because we got married today." He took her hands in his and brought them to his mouth to press kisses to her knuckles.

"Are you sure, Jr.? I thought you'd want to…" Her green eyes lowered slightly, and he let go of her hands so he could cup her chin and gently force her to look at him again.

"I can wait until you're ready, sweetheart. Now how about I just hold you for a while before I go to sleep? I know you're exhausted, but I'm not ready to pass out yet. You go ahead, though. I love you, so damn much," he whispered.

"I love you, too," she replied, kissing him softly before turning onto her side and falling asleep almost instantly.

He was awake for a while, thinking about all that had happened that day, when he felt his brother's presence. "Where have you been all day, Albedo?" he asked, sounding surprised.

_I was playing the part of uninvited guest, dear brother_, Albedo said in an injured tone. _Although it was a rather…interesting ceremony the two of you had. I suppose this means that I won't have to worry that either of you will be doing what you've always seemed to do best up until recently. That would be running away, in case you were wondering at all. Oh, and I see she has decided to take on the Kukai surname. Considering my opinion of both your and Nigredo's taste in surnames, please offer her my condolences. I believe she was better off keeping the Uzuki surname. Or maybe you could interest her in Piazzolla?_

Jr. raised an eyebrow. "You think Piazzolla is so much better than Kukai? Where the hell did you even come up with that name, anyway? Never mind, I think I'll just stay ignorant about it."

_Why does that not surprise me, Rubedo? Now, I believe I shall be the loving brother tonight and congratulate you upon your nuptials. I cannot think of two people more perfectly matched for one another. Be sure to tell the princess that I welcome her to the family. _Albedo withdrew without another word.

"Thanks, Albedo, although I'm thinking not all of that was meant to be a compliment…" Jr. smoothed Shion's hair from her face, kissed her temple, and fell asleep, more content than he'd ever been in his whole life.


	25. Some Things Are Difficult To Face

**Author's note – **This was a quick update, but this chapter didn't take me too long to write because it's a shorter one. I know I don't write MOMO all that confidently, so forgive me if this chapter is a bit stilted. Also, I think my previous author's note was confusing in that it appeared that this would be the chapter that Shion has the baby. I wrote that note out when Chapter 23 and 24 were still one single chapter, so I meant it would be the chapter after this one. Sorry about that! I do swear that she'll have the baby in the next one, though! Even she's starting to wonder if she's going to be pregnant forever. XD

--- Aboard the Dämmerung (just slightly over two months later) ---

MOMO glanced back at her mother and Ziggy. "It looks like we were right. There's another planet that survived, so we have to go and see if there's anyone still alive there. How long do you think it will take us to get there, Mommy?"

Juli brought a finger to her chin in thought. "I'm not quite sure, sweetheart, but I don't think it will take more than a few days. I'm afraid, though, that we might be too late." Her voice was quiet.

MOMO shook her head hard. "Don't say that, Mommy! We won't know for sure until we go and see! You were almost positive that no one could be alive on the Foundation, and they were all fine. Let's keep our hopes up until we know for certain. Okay?" Her golden eyes beseeched Juli to agree with her.

Juli knew MOMO was clinging to hope desperately because of all she'd been through in the past few months regarding Rubedo. She had attempted contacting the Elsa herself a week or so ago due to MOMO's reluctance to discuss Rubedo with her lately. She'd intended to speak with him and find out what exactly was going on, but Tony had answered and informed her that the Little Master was unavailable at that time. Juli was very proficient at reading body language, and she had been well-aware that Tony was nervous as he'd spoken to her. Unable to draw anything else out of him, she'd told him to let Rubedo know that he was to call her back the instant he became available. She'd never received that call. Juli had not spoken of it to MOMO, unwilling to upset her even more. So now she simply nodded and pulled her daughter into her embrace. "Yes, we'll keep our hopes up until we find out otherwise." She pulled back with a tremulous smile. "Now, didn't you say you needed to speak with Melissa and Charles?"

MOMO nodded. "Yes, I did, so I'm just going to see if I can hunt them down. I'll see you both later, okay?" She hurried out of the room, and Juli moved to stand by Ziggy.

"I wish that there was something I could do for her," she sighed. "I hate seeing her as sad as she's been these last few months. I'd never have believed Rubedo to be capable of avoiding her like this when he tried so hard to protect her before."

Ziggy replied, "Unfortunately, none of us can know what is truly going on unless Jr. explains the situation to MOMO. And I might be incorrect in what I'm about to say, but I have some suspicion regarding Shion's refusal to speak with her."

Juli's glance was sharp. "What do you mean by that?"

Ziggy appeared thoughtful. "I can't quite explain it. It's simply that Shion has always looked after MOMO, and for her to abandon her the way she has is not something that makes sense to me." Juli had finally explained the situation to him after she'd attempted contacting the Elsa, and she had not been surprised to learn that Ziggy had already gleaned much of it for himself. "For now, we can only speculate upon what could be happening aboard the Elsa to cause all of them to be acting as they have been…"

MOMO located Melissa and Charles in one of the dining rooms. Joshua was happily playing with his toys in the playpen they had sitting by the table. "Hi, you two," she said with a smile before leaning in to give Joshua a kiss on the top of his head. He giggled up at her, waving one of his toys around. "Looks like you're keeping busy," she told him, her eyes crinkling.

Melissa laughed. "That he is. You're seeing him just after he had one of his infamous temper tantrums over being put in there. He always seems to be on his best behavior when you're around," she teased, making MOMO laugh, too. "So, did you need us for something?"

MOMO sat down across from them. "I wanted to ask how Shion's doing," she said softly. "I know you just had an appointment with her, Charles, since she's due to have the baby very soon. It's sometimes hard to believe that she's going to be a mother, but I know she'll be a good one."

Charles met Melissa's eyes, and she shook her head at him inconspicuously. While Charles had made her aware that Jr. was present for each of Shion's appointments, he'd been afraid to say anything to MOMO, and Melissa had agreed that it was best that she not know. He'd asked in the beginning why Jr. needed to be there and had been told by Jr. himself that he was looking after Shion. When Charles had attempted to question him further, Jr. had told him firmly that he was going to be at all of Shion's following appointments and he'd refused to say anything else on the matter. Charles gave himself a slight shake, forcing his attention back to MOMO. "She's doing as well as can be expected, considering that she's rather exhausted and quite unhappy at the moment. She's at the point in her pregnancy where she's ready to have the baby. It shouldn't be much longer now. Shelley seems well-equipped to handle the birth of the child, and her sister, Mary, has promised to aid her."

Melissa asked, "How have you been, sweetie? Have you been holding up well? You look a little tired. Did something happen?"

MOMO tried to smile at her but found she lacked the ability to right then. "I think I've had better days, Melissa, but please don't worry about me. Something has happened, though. Remember when I was telling you that we thought we might have come across another planet that survived?" Melissa nodded silently. "It turns out we were right, and we're heading in its direction now. I'm hoping the people there will be okay. I wanted to stay strong in front of Mommy because I know she's worried, but I'm scared. It's been over a year now, and as much as I want to believe that somehow they've managed to survive all of this time, I just don't see how they could have. Mommy worries enough about me, though, so I don't want her to see how scared I am. I know how angry she is with Jr. because of his silence, but I can't bring myself to tell her that I know why he's been avoiding me." She looked so forlorn and lost that Melissa scooted out of her side of the booth to sit by her, drawing her into a hug.

"We're all worried about you. You've been so sad for the past few months, and I feel as though there's nothing I can do for you."

MOMO sniffled quietly. "I don't want you worrying about me, either. You have the sweetest little boy who needs your attention, so please look after him instead." Pulling away from Melissa, she got to her feet with a sad smile. "I have to go and speak to Doctus, but I hope I'll see you later at dinner." After leaning down to say goodbye to Joshua, she disappeared.

A few days later, the planet they had been looking for came into view. MOMO took hold of Juli's hand. "I want you to stay here, Mommy. Ziggy said he'd go with me in the shuttle to see how things are there. I'd feel better if I knew you were safe while we went and checked on everything. I'm going to see if he's ready to go. I'll see you when we get back." She disappeared before Juli could do much more than open her mouth to protest.

"MOMO, are you sure you are all right?" Ziggy asked as they exited the shuttle. "You were quiet for our entire trip down to this planet, and that is not like you. Maybe it would be best if you were to remain here while I survey the area."

MOMO set her shoulders determinedly. "No, I'll be fine, Ziggy. We need to find out if there are survivors here, and if there are, we need to convince them to come back with us. So please let's go and see what's here." She turned away from him and headed off. Ziggy gazed after her analytically for a few seconds and then followed her.

They walked for some time, coming across obvious ruins of civilization but nothing living. MOMO was beginning to lose hope that the inhabitants of the planet had been able to survive the length of time since the catastrophe. She reluctantly faced Ziggy, her golden eyes relaying to him her feeling of hopelessness. "It doesn't seem as though there's any form of life left here," she whispered softly. "I think we're too late."

Ziggy laid a hand upon her shoulder, seeing that she was trying very hard not to let him know how close she was to crying. "We did as well as could be expected under the circumstances, MOMO. We traveled down to this planet and searched it in hopes of finding survivors, as we have been doing all along. I do not think we could have done more."

MOMO's lower lip was trembling slightly. "I know, Ziggy, but I can't help but feel that we **should** have been able to do more. Why couldn't we have gotten here sooner?" She suddenly became very still. "Ziggy…I don't think we're alone anymore." As soon as the words had left her mouth, figures began surrounding them. Looking around at them, MOMO sighed with relief. "Oh, thank goodness there are people who are still alive! We're here to help you, if you'll let us." She smiled at them, trying to set them at ease.

None of the people spoke to them; they continued to watch them suspiciously, and that was causing Ziggy's protective instincts toward MOMO to appear. He pulled her behind him, making sure to keep a hand on her arm to assure himself that she remained by him. "We're here to see if any of you wish to leave this planet and return with us to a ship that has the amenities to take care of all of you."

A man stepped forward, and his voice was hoarse from disuse when he spoke. "We will not leave. We've lost loved ones that we've had to bury, and we won't leave them behind. Go back to where you came from."

MOMO cried, "But you can't stay here! If your loved ones have died, that means you'll all die, too! I don't want to see that happen! Please, please come back to the Dämmerung with us." Her golden eyes pleaded with the man to listen to her.

He shook his head. "No, we all have decided to stay here. This is our home, and it's where we all wish to die. You'd do well to forget you came here, little girl. It is best if you leave now. Don't think of this place again." He turned away from her and began walking away, and the people who were with him trailed after him.

Tears falling freely, MOMO ran after him to tug on his hand. She noted how skeletal they all looked, and she tried one last time to convince them to go with her. "I can tell that none of you have much time left! You're all sick from lack of nourishment. If you come back with us, we can take care of you. I don't want to leave you here to die!" she sobbed.

The man gently removed his hand from hers. "From this brief contact, I know you're a very courageous and caring young lady. I don't want you to think that this is your fault that we stay. Thank you for coming here and attempting what you've done. Now please return to your ship." He and the others disappeared, and MOMO fell to her knees, bringing her hands to her face.

Ziggy approached her and stood behind her. "I'm sorry, MOMO," he said quietly. "You did all you possibly could to convince him, and he chose to remain. There is no need to blame yourself for what's happened here."

Her voice shook as she answered him. "Why did they want to stay, Ziggy? We could have helped them if they only let us!"

"In the end, it seems to be that it's what they wanted. We stood no chance of changing any of their minds when they had decided long before we arrived. Can you stand?" he asked her, putting out his hand.

She took it silently, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She threw herself into his arms, and he held her somewhat awkwardly as she cried. Finally, her crying started to taper off, and she glanced up at him with a sigh. "Let's get back to the shuttle, Ziggy. We've been gone a long time, and I'm sure Mommy's worried about us." She didn't utter a word again until they'd returned to the Dämmerung, despite Ziggy's attempts to talk to her. It was almost as though she'd shut down her emotions. While he could understand why she'd want to do so, considering all that she'd been through recently, he didn't think it would end up benefitting her to bottle up her feelings on what had happened that way. He could only hope that Juli would find a way to speak to her about it.

"Sweetheart, you might feel better if you were to talk about how you're feeling. I don't think it's a wise choice to try to suppress it." Juli placed a hand upon MOMO's hair, and MOMO smiled bravely up at her.

"I'm not suppressing my feelings, Mommy. Ziggy was right. We couldn't force them to come with us. It was their decision, and although I didn't agree with it, there wasn't anything I could do. I'm going to go and rest for a while." She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and was gone an instant later.

As she passed by one of the rooms that contained a UMN terminal, she heard a beeping from within it. "I wonder who'd be calling the ship," she thought aloud. She hurried into the room and pressed the button to show the image of the person sending the transmission. "Jr.!" she cried, caught off-guard.

Jr. nodded. "Uh, yeah, I was returning Juli's call. I know it was at least a week or two ago, but I haven't had much free time lately." He took notice of how withdrawn she looked. "Hey," he said quietly, "what's wrong, MOMO?"

Hearing concern in his voice for the first time in months, MOMO couldn't hold back her tears. Her shoulders began shaking, and she wasn't able to answer him right away. She could sense him standing there, staying silent until she was ready to speak again. "We discovered another planet that survived, and Ziggy and I went there to see if there were any survivors earlier." She swiped at a few wayward tears.

"It didn't go well then, huh?" Jr.'s eyes were grave as he looked at her.

She shook her head, trying not to sniffle. "No, it didn't. They wouldn't come back with us, Jr. They said they wanted to stay because they had laid their loved ones to rest there, and they didn't want to leave them. I tried to convince them that they'd be better off aboard the Dämmerung, but I couldn't. I feel like I let them down," she said softly.

"You did what you could, MOMO. You can't blame yourself for how it turned out. It was their choice, and they chose to remain in a place where they know they're going to die. As hard as it is to accept their decision, you've got to take comfort in the fact that you did everything you could to convince them to come with you, right?"

The fact that he was listening to her and not rushing to end the transmission caused MOMO to break down once again. "I'm sorry I keep doing this," she managed to say.

Jr. answered, "Don't apologize, MOMO. I know I've been acting really distant with you, and I'm the one who needs to apologize." He paused for a moment, seeming to come to a decision about something. "I've got a reason for why I've been acting the way I have, though, and I think you have the right to know what it is."

MOMO stiffened. _I already know the reason, Jr. I don't want you to tell me, though. If you say it, it's going to make it real, and I don't think I can handle that! _Out loud she told him, "It's okay. I'm sure things have been rough over on the Elsa. Do you want me to go and get Mommy so that you can talk to her?" Every part of her was screaming for her to leave the room before Jr. could say what she didn't want to hear.

"No, I want to talk to you first. I've been acting like a total jerk with you, MOMO, and you haven't done a damn thing to deserve it. What you do deserve is the truth from me. You know how much I care about you…" He ground to a halt, sighing. "Then again, maybe you don't since my actions of late haven't shown it. I wish to hell that what I have to say wasn't going to hurt you, but no matter how I say it, it's going to. A lot of things have been happening over here on the Elsa -"

She took a step backward, shaking her head back and forth. "I think I hear Mommy calling me, Jr. I'll just go get her, and the two of you can talk." Although Juli hadn't told her she'd tried to get in touch with Jr., MOMO couldn't be upset with her. She knew her mother was only trying to discover what the problem was, since MOMO refused to speak of it with anyone but Melissa. "Hold on one second, okay?"

Jr. said desperately, "MOMO, don't go yet! I don't want to keep this from you anymore! Look, I'm in love with Sh-"

MOMO cut him off quickly. "I just remembered Mommy is really busy, so she won't have time to talk right now. I have to go, Jr." She reached out to end the transmission and sank to the floor in a shuddering heap.

--- On the Elsa ---

Jr. was staring at the blank screen dumbly. "Why did she cut me off like that?" he questioned, not addressing anyone since he was the only one on the bridge at the time.

_I do believe that I can be of assistance in answering, Rubedo. Do you recall when you and your friends dove into ma pêche's subconscious after she had destroyed her mind to keep me from extracting the Y-Data? _Albedo awaited his twin's reply before continuing. _I spoke of Mizrahi's crazy whims in giving her human emotions, did I not? It was those very human emotions that caused her to end the transmission so abruptly. She doesn't wish to hear the truth from you, despite already knowing it._

Jr.'s shock rippled through the both of them. "What the hell are you talking about, Albedo?! How can she possibly know that I love Shion? I've never said a word to her about it until that transmission!"

_Rubedo, please do not underestimate my intelligence_, Albedo said dryly. _You know very well how to conceal your emotions when need be, and yet you refuse to when you are in contact with ma pêche. You're more than aware of her observational abilities and that she would sense your rather passionate emotions when it comes to the princess. It may be somewhat unconscious, but it's rather easy to determine that a part of you has wished for her to know how you truly feel. It doesn't seem to have had the outcome you were hoping for, however. Her love for you is forcing her to reject what you were trying to tell her._

"But she **does** know," Jr. said slowly. "Even if she won't let me say it, she knows how I feel. That's a start. I can't tell Shion how she reacted, though. If I do, she's going to think hiding it from MOMO is really the best thing we can do. I'm not hiding it from MOMO forever, and once the baby's born, I'm going to try talking to Shion again to convince her we need to tell MOMO. Speaking of my wife, I'd better go and check on her. Hopefully she's in a better mood after resting for a while than she was before she decided to take a nap. Even I felt kinda bad for Scott with how she went off on him in the lounge for asking how she was." He headed off toward the cabin, his pace a little slower than usual.

--- Back aboard the Dämmerung ---

"MOMO, are you okay?" She'd managed to make it into a sitting position to draw her knees against her chest and bury her face in them, so she hadn't seen who'd entered the room. She knew Melissa's voice, though, and she wanted to say something in response. She just couldn't seem to stop crying long enough to do so. She felt Melissa drop to the floor beside her. "Sweetie, what happened? Juli told me you'd rushed out of the room after she'd tried talking to you when I ran into her in the dining room. Is it because of what happened on that planet?" She embraced MOMO sympathetically.

MOMO sniffed back tears and lifted her head. "It's a mixture of things, Melissa. Yes, I'm crying because I couldn't save those people. It doesn't sit right with me that we had to leave them there, and yet I know that they had to make the decision for themselves. Knowing that doesn't make the knowledge that they're going to die soon any easier for me. I'm meant to help people, and I failed to do that." Her golden eyes became teary again.

"I can't know how difficult it was for you and Ziggy to leave those people there, but I know you, MOMO. You did everything in your power to convince them that they'd be better off on this ship. There's no reason to blame yourself. You care for people, and it makes things like this hurt all the worse for you. Just know that there's nothing more you could have done," Melissa told her quietly.

MOMO nodded jerkily. "Okay, I'll try not to think that way. That's not the only reason I'm crying, though, and I feel so selfish that I'm upset over something that concerns me when those people are more important than how I feel!" She pulled away from Melissa and got to her feet.

Melissa stood as well. "How about you tell me what happened, so that I can try to help you sort through it?" She smiled gently at MOMO.

MOMO lowered her head. "I heard the terminal beeping as I passed this room, so I stopped in to see who it was. It turned out to be Jr., returning Mommy's call from a few weeks ago. For the first time in so many months, he noticed me and was concerned about me, Melissa."

"But that's a good thing, sweetie! It means you were worried over nothing, and he really does still care about you." She saw MOMO's shoulders start to shake, and she said hesitantly, "Doesn't it?"

"I talked to him about what happened," MOMO sobbed. "He was like the old Jr. who used to worry about and protect me. Then he said he wanted to apologize for how he's been acting lately. He told me th-th-there was a…r-r-reason for it!" She found she couldn't continue.

Melissa, already knowing the reason, brought a hand to her mouth. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry."

MOMO brought her hands to her face. Her voice muffled, she said, "I wouldn't let him finish it, but he started to tell me that he was in love with Shion. It's what I knew it was, Melissa, and I just don't want to hear him say it. I know I've lost him already, but I just can't hear him say the words!"

Melissa drew her into a hug and stroked her hair comfortingly. "I know," she said simply and just held the little Realian close for a time, letting her know she had a friend who would always be there to listen to her.

**Author's note 2 - **Also, a quick thanks to kait1114 for catching something in this chapter, so I fixed it and re-uploaded it. (But no, I didn't fix the part where Juli says "Rubedo" when she's actually speaking. I only fixed the parts where it's her perspective on him.)


	26. The Littlest Kukai Finally Arrives

**Author's note – **Okay, here it is! This is the chapter where Shion finally has the baby! The chapter is rather lengthy, I know, but it always seems to be that way anymore. I hope it turns out well, since I poured a lot into writing it. Happy reading!

Jr. helped Shion to her feet after having had her wave him off a few times. "Sweetheart, it's not a crime to have a hard time getting to your feet, you know. You're eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and no one's expecting you to just jump to your feet like you're not carrying extra weight around right now."

Shion placed a hand on his arm with a sigh. "I just hate having to rely on you so much, Jr. I mean, it's like you can barely leave the room anymore. You must be getting tired of it."

He grinned at her. "Actually, I kinda like the idea of having you so reliant on me. But that would be my male ego showing."

She laughed before placing a hand on her lower back with a grimace. "Oh, that hurts. As horrible as this might sound, I can't wait for these next two weeks to pass by. If I end up being overdue, I might become even more of a witch than I have been recently."

His blue eyes widened, and he choked back his instinctual response. "Let's not worry about you being overdue unless we have to. Now how about we head to the lounge and see what everyone's been up to that they need us there?" When they arrived at the door of the cabin, she made a somewhat wistful noise. "What's the matter, sweetheart? If your back's hurting you that badly, you know I'll try to massage it out like I've been doing."

She leaned against him. "It's not that, Jr. I was just thinking to myself is all. Do you remember back when you were saying we needed to sleep in the same bed and how you hated the fact that we'd go our separate ways at night? I distinctly recall you telling me that I sashayed my way into the cabin. I was thinking that I certainly don't sashay anymore, now do I? I think it's safe to say that I waddle when I walk lately."

He turned her face toward him and kissed her softly. "Hey, I think you're pretty damn sexy when you waddle. Then again, I think you're pretty damn sexy no matter what you do."

She giggled. "That's because you're my husband, and you're supposed to think that way. With how uncomfortable I've been, I'll be happy when I can finally get back to sashaying, since it means I'll be walking normally again. Oooh." She rubbed at the lower area of her back, wincing. "Standing, sitting, walking… I'm never comfortable anymore. Let's hurry and get to the lounge. Or at least hurry as quickly as my waddling will let me, anyway."

When they entered the lounge, a cry of "Surprise!" went up, and they both came to a shocked halt. Mary came rushing over to them. "Good, we did surprise both of ya! Wasn't sure if the Little Mastah had picked up on anythin' we been sayin' lately."

Shion said haltingly, "What…is this supposed to be?" Jr.'s mouth was hanging open, and he seemed unable to form any semblance of a response to what was going on.

Shelley stepped forward with a smile. "We all decided that a baby shower would be in order for the upcoming arrival. You do, after all, need certain things for the baby, and we thought we could provide you with some of them. Now please come and sit down."

Mary began pushing them toward the table with the gifts placed on it. "But don't be thinkin' you're openin' 'em yet, though! This here's a party, ya know, so we gotta have some fun first! I even dusted off my bakin' skills and made a cake for today. How ya feelin', Shion?" she asked sympathetically, seeing Shion arch her back uncomfortably.

"I've had better days, Mary," Shion replied disconsolately. "My back has been killing me today, and I've snapped at Jr. three times. I'm so tired of feeling miserable." She tried to smile. "But I can't say how much I appreciate the fact that you all have done this for us, especially with how completely wretched I've been acting."

Tony waved a hand, dismissing her comment. "Hey, it's not like we can blame you for being so crabby. Let's just forget it and start the party! Bring 'em over here, Mary, and go get the food!" Mary wrinkled her nose at him but disappeared in the direction of the kitchen after bringing the two guests of honor to their table.

After everyone had eaten, though Shion ate very little because she didn't have much of an appetite anymore, it was decided that it was time for the gifts to be opened. Jr. looked toward Shion, and she nodded at him, her eyes sparkling with humor. "Yes, we can share the job of opening them. Why don't you go first?"

Jr. chuckled, glancing around at everyone. "So anyone have a preference of which gift we open first?"

Allen spoke up quietly. "You kind of need to save my gift until after the Captain, Hammer and Tony have given theirs. Part of mine goes along with it."

Jr. eyed him a little suspiciously, but then he shrugged and dragged the gift that Mary was shoving at him close. He hastily tore off the wrapping to discover a clothing box. He took the top off and peered inside. "Why am I not one bit surprised?" he said laughingly, shaking his head.

Shion shot him a confused look before taking the box from him. She pulled out three baby dresses, all in varying shades of blue. Her eyes met Mary's, and Mary laughed. "Hey, I can't help it! Y'all know how much I love blue, and those there dresses were just so gosh darn adorable! Don't ya think she'll look like the cutest, lil' thin' imaginable in 'em? I couldn't pass 'em up, ya know!"

Shion ran her fingers over the dresses, marveling at just how small they were. "It's so strange to think that soon we'll have someone here who will fit into these. Thank you, Mary. There's nothing wrong with them being blue. In fact, if she ends up with Jr.'s eyes, they'll bring them out more." Mary stuck her tongue out at everyone, since they'd all been groaning and putting their hands to their foreheads once they'd seen what her gift was.

Shion took the next gift, which had simple lavender wrapping, and glanced in Shelley's direction. "Without even looking to see who it's from, I know this one has to be yours, Shelley." She received a nod coupled with a smile from Shelley. She unwrapped the gift carefully, despite Jr.'s protests that it was only wrapping paper, to find another clothing box. She opened it and couldn't contain her laughter. "Sometimes the two of you think so much alike, it's scary," she told Mary and Shelley. Seeing confusion on everyone else's faces, she pulled three tiny dresses from the box, all in varying shades of purple.

Shelley blushed when the room erupted in laughter. "Purple is a little girl color," she defended herself. "It has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that it happens to be my favorite color." Noticing that no one was falling for what she was saying, she rushed to add, "There is more in the box, Shion."

Shion looked inside the box again and pulled out white stockings and a pair of black dress shoes. "Oh, Shelley, it's all so adorable! Thank you so much!"

Jr. gave Shelley a grin. "I knew you and your sister wouldn't be able to resist getting something in your favorite colors for our little one." He laid his hand upon Shion's heavily rounded stomach. "Guess it's my turn again." He picked a small envelope up off the table. "Hey, who's this from?"

The Professor rolled his eyes. "Here's a thought, sonny. Why don't you open the card and see before you ask a question as unintelligent as that?"

Jr. bit back a heated reply. "Yeah, well, looks like I got my answer, huh?" He slid open the flap on the envelope to pull out what looked like a small certificate. He read aloud, "This certificate entitles the new arrival entry to the workroom where I and my assistants are busy working on a brand new Erde Kaiser. Disclaimer: The new arrival is not allowed to be brought down by The Arrogant One." He aimed a scorching glare at the Professor. "What the hell is this?! You call this a goddamn gift?!"

The Professor said airily, "I don't have a problem with the girly or the one she'll soon be bringing into the world. The two of them have passes to come into the workroom whenever they feel the need, since I'm sure I'll be losing one assistant due to motherhood. Maybe not forever, but I feel certain she'll want to spend time with her baby. You, however, do not have a pass, and I wanted to reiterate that. That's from Assistant Scott as well, by the way." Scott took one look at the Little Master's expression and promptly buried his face in his arms on the table.

Trying to defuse the tension that had arisen, Shion drew Jr.'s attention back to the table by saying, "Allen, it looks like only your gifts are left. How are we supposed to leave yours for last if there's nothing from the Captain, Hammer and Tony?"

Jr.'s eyebrows drew together. "Yeah, Shion's right. Did you guys cheap out on the gift?" he joked.

Matthews stood up and nodded to Hammer and Tony. "Nah, we just had to keep our gift hidden since we kinda couldn't wrap it. C'mon, ya morons! Stop sittin' there and help me go and get it!" He led a sighing Hammer and Tony out of the lounge and toward the kitchen. They returned shortly, and Shion let out a gasp at what they brought with them. It was an intricately carved wooden crib, and the Elsa crew set it down gently in front of the table. "Here ya go," Matthews said proudly.

"Jr., can you please help me up?" Shion asked softly, her eyes beginning to fill with tears. Looking a little overwhelmed with emotion, Jr. did as she'd asked after he'd gotten to his feet himself. She moved to stand in front of the crib and ran her hand over the railing in wonder. "It's so beautiful," she breathed, just before covering her face with her hands to try to conceal the fact that she was crying.

Jr. pulled her against him, her side against his front, and she averted her face for the time being. "Where the hell did you guys get that?" he questioned incredulously.

Tony placed a hand on the railing with a somewhat arrogant grin. "We didn't get it from anywhere. We made it for you guys. Well," he amended, seeing the glower Matthews was aiming at him, "Hammer and me just kinda helped out the Captain. We did our part, and you know it, Captain."

Matthews shrugged. "Yeah, I can't really say you didn't, so I'll give you that. It's kinda strange, but woodworking got passed down in my family. Wood wasn't easy to come by, so I didn't get a chance to do it all that much. Getting a hold of the wood we needed for this was a real pain, but I gotta say that it was worth it in the end. She's a beauty, ain't she? Aw, jeez, I didn't mean to make her cry." He appeared uncomfortable and worried, raising a hand to the back of his head.

Shion turned her head to give him a watery smile. "No, I'm not crying because I don't like it. I'm crying because it's such a wonderful gift for you to give us. Now we don't have to worry about where she's going to sleep. Thank you so much." She gave each of the Elsa crew a kiss on the cheek, and they all turned red with embarrassment and muttered under their breath after she'd done so. "How did you manage to keep it a secret, though?"

Hammer laughed. "Shion, it's not like you ever go into the men's cabin, right? So we didn't have to try all that hard to keep it from you and the Little Master. We've all been working on it for a long time. We were starting to get worried that we wouldn't have it finished in time. It all worked out, though, especially with Mary and Shelley deciding to throw this baby shower for you guys."

Jr., having finally recovered from his shock enough to voice an actual opinion, looked around at the crew of the Elsa. "You guys didn't have to do this for us, but it means a helluva lot to me that you did. All I can say is thanks, and I know that's not enough, but I hope it'll do for now." He brought Shion back toward the crib, and they both ran their hands over the railing. "I think I'm still just amazed that you never let on that you were doing this for us. Damn, you can be pretty freakin' secretive sometimes!"

Tony shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, it's not like it would have made sense to tell you we were making it when it was meant to be a surprise. I'm just glad you like it. The Captain probably won't admit to it, but he was worried you wouldn't."

Matthews coughed into his hand. "I wasn't all that worried. It was just I put a lotta work into making this, and I would have hated to see it go to waste. You sure you like it?" he asked Shion, apprehension making its way into his voice.

She nodded, her eyes filling with tears again. "Yes, I love it. And I'm sure the baby will love it, too, once she gets here." She lifted a hand to her face to wipe at the tears that had managed to escape. "Now, how about we get back to opening gifts? Allen's been waiting pretty patiently." She and Jr. made their way back to the table, and Jr. helped her to sit down.

Allen pointed to the larger gift first. "That one's for you to open, Shion. The smaller gift is for you to open, Jr. I tried to find gifts for the baby that would fit the two of you. I'm hoping you both like them."

Shion brought the gift she'd been instructed to open close to her and began to unwrap it. Jr. glanced at Allen, a noticeable smirk on his face. "How come mine's so much smaller?"

Allen laughed. "You'll see once you open it. Trust me when I say it'll make sense then."

Jr. pulled the wrapping paper off of his gift to reveal a box and looked toward Shion. "Let's check them out together, sweetheart." He flung the top off of the box as she finished taking the paper off of hers. He brought out a handful of books that were meant to be read to the baby. His gaze met Allen's, and he found himself speechless. Shion let out a gasp when she saw that her gift was a comforter set for the crib that had patterns of Bunnie across the comforter itself and the sheet set within. She looked at Allen, unable to form any words.

"I know you like Bunnie; since back on the Woglinde, you had that phone that was shaped like him. And the A.I. you had for accessing the UMN looked like him, too. Hammer told me about the crib not too long ago, and I kind of scoured the shops to see if I could find something like that for you. It took a while, but I finally ran across someone who was willing to make what I wanted for a really cheap price." Shion smiled at him softly, and he directed his attention toward Jr. "Now we all know how much you love books, and I thought it'd be a good idea to get books that you could read to the baby. That way, maybe you can pass your love for them on."

Jr. grinned at him. "Thanks, Allen. I know Shion isn't too keen on books," he said with a teasing glance toward her, only to have her sniff back at him, "but the thought of reading to my little one makes me pretty damn happy." He began thumbing through the books, and it was apparent they'd lost him to them for the time being.

Shion said quietly, "Thank you for giving us such wonderful gifts, Allen. I shouldn't be surprised that you thought about them so carefully. The comforter set will look adorable in the crib. And you've thrilled my husband to no end. Jr.," she murmured in his ear, trying to get him to focus on the party again.

He looked up guiltily. "Sorry, everyone. But you know me and books, sweetheart!" he protested defensively. He watched Shion shake her head, and he put them down reluctantly. "Okay, okay. Hey, Mary, what about that cake you said you made? I think it's about time you brought it out! I don't think Shion will be up all that much longer, anyway." He kissed Shion's temple as she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes tiredly.

After the Elsa crew had moved the crib into Jr. and Shion's cabin and returned to have some of Mary's cake, Jr. felt Shion slump against him. He looked down to see her breathing evenly. "Damn, I hate to wake her up, but I need to get her back to the cabin so she can rest." He nudged her gently, and her eyes blinked open slowly. "C'mon, sweetheart. We're going to head back to the cabin, and you can take as long a nap as you need."

She snapped, "I don't need you to baby me, Jr. I can walk back to the cabin just fine on my own." She struggled to her feet and then sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just exhausted right now, and I know I'm not going to be able to sleep all that well."

He stood up quickly and drew her back against him. "You don't need to apologize, sweetheart. How about we go and tell everyone thanks and head on out of here?" She nodded silently, and they moved toward the center of the lounge. Everyone looked up at them, understanding lighting up their eyes when they took in how tired Shion appeared. "Thanks for doing this for us. We really appreciate it, and I hope you all know that," Jr. told them.

Mary shooed him away. "Yeah, yeah, we got it. Now go on and get Shion off her feet. She looks about ready to fall right on over!"

Shion said quietly, "Thank you, everybody. It means a lot that you did this for us. It's good to know that my horrible mood swings didn't make you run away, screaming."

Allen and Shelley glanced at one another. They were covertly holding hands under the table, and so far, no one had seemed to notice. Allen replied, "I'm hoping not to get killed for this, but just remember it's meant to be a joke, okay? Even if we did run, it's not like we can really go all that far, right?"

Shelley leaned across him. "It is almost over with, Shion. It should not be much longer until you are ready to have the baby, according to Charles. It is assumed that the mood swings will, at the very least, lessen in their intensity at that time. Now, please go and rest as thoroughly as you can." She gave Allen's hand a squeeze as Shion and the Little Master disappeared, and his blue eyes laughed back at her. He knew very well she'd stepped in to avert Shion's wrath. He simply hadn't been able to resist with how well Shion had set herself up, and it was rare for him to do something like that.

"Thanks for the save," he whispered. "You know I don't do that kind of thing all that often, but I couldn't help it."

She said primly, "Next time, I might not be around to save you. It would be wise not to draw Shion's attention toward you much more than necessary. Since I do desire a future with you, Allen Ridgeley, I do not wish to come across pieces of you spattered liberally about the Elsa."

Her words about desiring a future with him made him almost giddily happy as he responded, "I'll keep that in mind, since I don't think I want to be spattered liberally throughout the Elsa, anyway." They laughed lowly. "Now how about we start cleaning up? Nobody's going to help us out in the kitchen, so that means I get to spend some time with you. It also means not having your sister and Tony checking us out to see if they can spot us doing anything they'd term 'suspicious.'" They began picking up, and as Allen had predicted, everyone else was perfectly content to let them do so. They hurried into the kitchen to put the dishes in the sink, and Allen began running the water needed to wash them. After Shelley had gone out to wipe down the tables, she returned to share clandestine kisses with him, pressing close to him as his arms tightened around her waist.

She rested her head against his shoulder afterward and smiled to herself. "What's that smile for?" he asked her as his hand stroked her hair comfortably. Within the past three and a half months they'd been together, he'd settled into a comfort zone that allowed him to touch her like that and not be flustered by it. That was important to her, since she was aware that due to what he'd been through with Shion, he tended to be uncomfortable in certain situations.

"I was simply thinking to myself how very fortunate I am, Allen. Your gifts for the baby were a sign of just how much you care about others. Thinking of both the Little Master and Shion was something that did not cross my mind when choosing a gift, yet that is something that came naturally for you. I do not think it is possible to express just how blessed I feel to be in a relationship with someone who is as noble as you are." She lifted her head to smile into his eyes.

He blushed, and instinctively his hand rose to the back of his head in his common gesture of embarrassment. "Well, I just thought it'd be nice to give the baby gifts that each of them would enjoy, too. I wasn't trying to be noble or anything."

She kissed him again softly before pulling back to say, "And that is what makes you as wonderful as you are. There are no ulterior motives behind what you do. You simply do what you feel is right for everyone. That is a very rare trait to possess."

The blush still highlighting his face, he nevertheless grinned at her. "I tend to think you're pretty wonderful yourself, you know. I don't think I've ever had anyone talk to me the way you do." He was just about to kiss her one last time when they heard voices drifting toward the kitchen. They shot each other regretful smiles and returned to washing up the dishes as Mary and Tony walked in, both of them with knowing looks on their faces.

"Figured we'd give you two some time alone," Tony quipped. "You kinda looked like you needed it and all."

"Yeah, I know y'all think we're always checkin' on ya, but we know when to leave ya alone. Hope ya weren't tryin' nothin' funny with my sister, though. I'm hopin' ya'd take her somewhere that ain't the kitchen for that, Allen." Mary winked at him, her blue eyes sparkling.

Allen choked and immediately turned a fiery red. "Y-y-you know I'd n-n-never do something like th-th-that, Mary! Or jeez, I'd hope you d-d-do, anyway!"

Mary returned innocently, "Ya mean ya wouldn't take her somewhere else then?"

Allen seemed to be at a loss for words, or possibly he was trying to grasp a strong enough hold of the situation to reply. Shelley stepped in for him. "Mary, I would very much appreciate if you would refrain from pretending innocence with questions such as that one. Did there happen to be a reason you and Tony stopped in, or was it merely because of your inherent curiosity where Allen and I are concerned?"

Tony grabbed a towel. "Just thought we'd help you guys out. Seemed like you were taking a pretty damn long time to wash up the dishes, if you know what I mean." He smirked at Allen and Shelley.

Shelley smiled at him, causing him to draw back in surprise. "We shall leave you two to finish up then. Please be sure to put everything away when you are done." She and Allen left the room to the intermingled groans of Mary and Tony.

--- Two weeks later ---

Very early in the morning, Jr. awoke, but he wasn't quite sure what had caused him to at first. And then he heard it again: Shion's soft moan. He shifted onto his elbow and asked her sleepily, "What's the matter, sweetheart? Is your back bothering you?"

Shion didn't answer him immediately. When she did, her voice was tight with pain. "I think…our little one is getting ready to join us."

He came awake instantly. "Are you sure? How do you know?"

She forced out, "I'm having contractions, Jr., and my water just broke."

He said wonderingly, "Your water…?" He felt dampness spreading, and he jumped to his feet. "Crap, I'll go and get Shelley! I'll be right back, okay?" He quickly laid a hand to her sweating forehead, and she nodded before curling into herself as much as she could. He rushed out of the cabin and quickly headed for the elevator. On the lower level, he flew out of the door before it had fully opened and skidded to a halt outside of the room Mary and Shelley shared. Pounding on the door, he cried, "Shelley, are you awake? Shion's having the baby!"

Shelley's sleep-laced voice answered him after a few seconds. "Yes, I am awake now, Little Master. I will be up momentarily. I simply need to get dressed and rouse Mary to help me."

Jr. answered, panic evident in his voice, "By the time you wake Mary up, the baby will already be born!"

Shelley said evenly, "Please try to calm down. Return to Shion and attempt to distract her from the pain somewhat until we arrive."

Jr. didn't reply because he'd already run headlong back into the elevator to do as Shelley said. He didn't want Shion thinking he'd abandoned her to the pain she was in. He raced through the cabin door and back to the bed to see Shion still lying on her side, her eyes closed and her hands resting upon her stomach. "Sweetheart, I'm back. Shelley will be right up. How are you doing?"

"How do you think I'm doing?" she cried. "I'm in a ton of pain right now, so unless you know how to stop it, just leave me alone!" She moaned and clutched at her stomach.

He backed away from her, unsure of what to do. She didn't seem to want distraction, and he didn't want her getting upset since he doubted that would be beneficial to her or the baby. Thankfully, Mary and Shelley showed up a minute or so later, and Shelley took charge of the situation. "Mary, please help Shion to shift onto her back so that I am able to check upon what I need to." Mary did as asked, although Shion wasn't much help during the process.

_I see that the peace and quiet is soon to be invaded. The atmosphere has been so calm as of late, and now it's to be broken by the wailing cries of an infant._

Jr. jumped as his brother's voice snaked into his head. He hissed, "This isn't a really good time, Albedo. I'd have expected you to stay as far away as possible."

Albedo chuckled mockingly. _No, that's what you seem to be doing, Rubedo. I must admit to wondering just why you are so close to the door when the princess is over in the bed you share with her, readying herself to have the child the two of you created. Do you honestly believe that fleeing is at all an option at this point?_

"I wasn't 'fleeing,' dammit! Shion didn't want me by her, so I did what she wanted!" Jr. growled, keeping his voice low so Mary and Shelley wouldn't hear him.

_Since pain is something I never quite understood, my view on it might very well be skewed. However, considering that she is most likely in quite a bit of pain, ordering you away from her might have been her pain speaking for her. One would think that, as her husband, you belong by her side. Besides, with all your talk of wanting to experience everything because of how we were created, wouldn't it make more sense to view 'the miracle of life' from a closer angle?_

Jr. didn't answer, but he moved back toward the bed. Shelley glanced up at him. "Little Master, please do not take to heart anything Shion says while in this state. She is in considerable pain, and is most likely unaware of exactly what she is saying. It might help if you were to hold her hand for the time being to simply let her know you are here with her."

He did as Shelley had said, taking hold of Shion's hand as she moved her head back and forth restlessly on the pillow. "I'm here, sweetheart. If the pain gets to be too much, just squeeze my hand. Maybe that'll help."

Shion's green eyes opened. "Don't blame me if you have all of the bones in your hand broken by the end of this," she joked weakly before another contraction hit her, causing her to cry out. She squeezed his hand very tightly, and he clenched his teeth.

"Little Master, it would help if you were to get a cloth and wet it with cold water and sponge Shion's forehead. I do not think that this will be a quick birth, unfortunately." Shelley spoke quietly, and after pressing a kiss to Shion's hand, Jr. hurried off.

A few hours later, things had not progressed very far, and the rest of the Elsa was up and about. They all knew that Shion was in labor, because Mary had quickly snuck out to inform them as they were having breakfast. No one was rushing to do much of anything, preferring to stay in the lounge and wait for any news. Allen was sitting at the back table, musing to himself. _Knowing Shion's in there having the baby kind of makes me think about what could happen in the future for me and Shelley, even though I know it's still a little early to be thinking that far ahead. _Thinking of Shelley conjured up an image of her in his mind's eye, and that led to him recalling an important event for them…

On the day that they'd been together for a month, Allen had asked if he could borrow the lounge once more to celebrate the milestone. Although he and Shion had made it that length of time, it had always been rocky between them, and so they'd never had a chance to celebrate things like that. With Shelley, he'd started to grow more comfortable in their relationship, and he could sense that Shelley had, too. He'd earned looks from Hammer and Tony due to the request for the lounge, but he'd ignored them. He wanted to make the day a special one for Shelley. The date had been reminiscent of their first date, with him preparing dinner but with Shelley insisting upon helping this time. Hoping he wasn't being too forward, he'd presented her with a gift toward the end.

"You did not have to do this, Allen," she said quietly, placing her hand on top of his and pressing gently on it.

He smiled at her. "I wanted to. I just hope you don't think I'm being too pushy, considering the fact that I just started feeling comfortable enough to kiss you instead of you always kissing me." He looked a little chagrined as he said that.

"I did not have any issue with being the one to initiate, Allen. I knew it would come in time." She watched, her purple eyes soft, as he brought her hand to his mouth for a brief kiss. "I also happen to have a gift for you." She picked a small gift up off of the booth beside her and handed it to him. "Now you are not being pushy alone," she said teasingly.

His eyes widened before he laughed. "It still amazes me how we can think alike at times. Okay, let's open them together." They did so, and Shelley let out a gasp as she pulled the fine silver chain with a heart-shaped locket from the box. He stopped short of removing the lid from his small box to tell her why he'd gotten that for her. "Your gift is because I wanted you to know that you have my heart. Would it be okay if I put it on for you?"

She nodded, seemingly too overwhelmed to speak right then, and he stood up and moved behind her. She handed him the necklace, and he fastened it around her neck, his fingers fumbling a little. She brought her hand up to it, her eyes shining. "Allen, it is very beautiful. Thank you. I do hope you like your gift half as much as I adore mine."

He sat back down, opened the box, and peered inside it. He grinned as he removed the fishing lure she'd gotten for him. "I guess I've talked about my love of fishing enough, huh?"

She laughed. "I know that you are unable to fish while we are aboard the Elsa, but I am giving you that in the hope that when we reach Lost Jerusalem, you will be able to there. I thought you might like it."

"I love anything to do with fishing, and that you were the one to give it to me makes it even more special. Thanks, Shelley." They gazed at one another for a time before realizing they needed to clean up and return to their rooms. At Shelley's door, Allen seemed a bit hesitant, and Shelley questioned, "Are you all right?"

Her question caused him to look directly at her. "I think I was just building up my courage," he said with a slight laugh. When she asked what for, he answered, "So I could say something that I haven't said to you yet, even though I've kind of danced around it for a while. I love you, Shelley."

A heated blush stole its way across her face, but she stepped closer to him to twine her arms about his neck. "And I love you as well, Allen Ridgeley." There were no more words spoken for some time after that…

Returning to himself, Allen smiled at the memory. Thinking of the first time he and Shelley had said that they loved one another had made him certain that his relationship with her was strong and would only grow stronger over time. _Who knows? Hopefully someday, Shelley and I can have what Jr. and Shion have now. We're not in the rush that they are, though_, he thought with a mental laugh.

Back in the cabin, any calmness Jr. had been feeling had deteriorated as the intensity of Shion's screams rose. "Shelley, are you sure everything is okay?" he demanded for the fifth time. "Should she be in that much pain, for God's sake?" His blue eyes were panicked as his gaze ran over his wife, who was clutching at her stomach and throwing off Mary's attempts to return her to her position on her back.

"We may be able to heal using ether and nanomachines, Little Master, but we cannot take away Shion's pain. Charles told us that labor is very painful, and I have been checking Shion thoroughly as Charles instructed me to do. There do not seem to be any issues. Her labor appears to be progressing as it should. Please try to relax." Shelley placed a hand on his arm, and he nodded as he bit down on his lip hard enough to draw blood.

"I hate seeing her in pain. I just wish I could freakin' do something for her!" he whispered fiercely.

"You have been doing all that it is possible to do at this time. Please continue to attempt to sponge her forehead with cold water. I must speak to Mary quickly." Jr. returned to Shion's side, and Shelley motioned to Mary to hurry over.

"What is it, sis? Boy, Shion ain't the most helpful patient, ya know. I hope this don't take too much longer," Mary said with wide eyes.

"I do not believe that it will be much longer before the baby arrives. Shion's body is preparing itself as Charles and his notes specified it would." She was about to say more when a cry from Jr. called her attention back to Shion. "Little Master, what is the matter?"

"Her eyes closed, Shelley! I'm scared to death we're losing her! What if I lose her and the baby?" he babbled, and Shelley quickly made her way over to the bed.

She leaned down to check Shion's breathing, and her heart began to slow to a normal pace again. "Little Master, Shion is fine. She is resting in between contractions. If you do not calm down, you are going to cause her to panic as well. That will make the birth more difficult for her."

Not much later, Shion was awake again and screaming at Jr. to move as far away from her as possible. "It's your fault I'm in all this pain! How could you do this to me?" she wailed.

Jr. backed away from her, saying hastily, "I swear that I'll never touch you again, sweetheart! Do you think I like seeing you like this?"

Mary glanced toward Shelley during the interaction. "Did I hear right? Was that Little Mastah swearin' off doin' stuff with Shion? He must really be freaked out to be doin' that!"

Shion took hold of Shelley's hand desperately. "Shelley, I think the baby's coming!"

Shelley checked Shion once more, and Jr. stood next to her as she did so. "Shelley, what if you can't deliver the baby?! I mean, it's not like this is a simple thing to do!"

Shelley got to her feet and pinned him with a near violent stare. "Little Master, if you continue to insist upon acting like this, I will bodily toss you from this room. If I am unable to do so by myself, I will enlist Mary's help to ensure the task is taken care of. If you wish to remain here, you **will **calm down. Am I quite clear?"

Jr. held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "Sorry. I'll stop getting in the way." He took a few steps back and stood for a few minutes, trying to calm his racing, panic-stricken brain.

_This does seem rather troublesome to simply end up with one small thing as a reward. As much as I loathe our father, I do think his idea of creation made much more sense. And the panic flowing throughout you is exhausting me, Rubedo. I can't sleep, however, because your mind is shouting so loudly. Could you possibly lower the volume it's set at? I have no interest in seeing this to its completion, if you don't mind. _

Jr. was more than aware that Albedo was taunting him because Mary and Shelley were too close for him to respond without them overhearing. Sending a murderous vibe at his brother's consciousness, only to have him laugh it off, Jr. moved to stand by Shion again. She looked up at him, her eyes awash with tears. "Why did you leave, Jr.? I want you by me." Ignoring Albedo's laugh echoing inside his head, Jr. smiled at her and took her hand without a word.

Having checked Shion over again, Shelley knew the time had come for Shion to deliver the baby. "Shion, it seems to be time for you to push. Are you ready?"

Shion squeezed Jr.'s hand and nodded. Shelley called Mary over to assist her and then asked Shion to bear down. Shion did so, letting out a cry. After a few pushes, Mary cried, "I can see the head!" There was a pause, and then she said in disgust, "Ew, I can see the head!" To Shelley's annoyance, her sister deserted her, choosing instead to turn her back on the scene.

"Shion, it is almost over with! Can you push one more time?" Shelley looked up quickly to see an expression of wonder on the Little Master's face as he held Shion's hand and watched his child being born. She aimed a gentle smile at him before returning her attention to the task at hand. She took hold of the baby and announced, "It is as you thought. You have a baby daughter. I will return with her shortly." After cutting the cord and ordering Mary to finish up with Shion, she rushed to clean the baby so that she would be able to breathe.

After Mary had reluctantly finished what needed to be done, Shion managed to push herself up into a sitting position. She immediately noticed that the baby hadn't begun crying yet. "Shelley," she said, trying to keep the panic out of her voice, "why isn't she crying?"

Shelley looked down at the very small form she'd finished cleaning. The baby remained still and quiet, and Shelley sent a prayer up that she wouldn't have to turn to the Little Master and Shion to tell them that their daughter hadn't survived. Just as Shelley had given up hope, she watched the tiny, rosebud mouth open widely, and a loud, lusty wail issued from it. She breathed a sigh of relief. "I think it is apparent just who this little one belongs to," she teased, wrapping the baby girl in a pink blanket and turning to face the new parents.

Mary rushed up to take a peek at her. "Wow," she breathed in amazement, "she looks so much like the Little Mastah, don't she?"

Shelley hissed out of the side of her mouth, "Do you mean to say you still had doubts concerning her paternity?"

Mary gave her a big smile. "Nope, not no more, I don't! Here, I wanna take her over there. Ya go and clean up or somethin'. You're kinda gross, Shelley." She wrinkled her nose.

Shelley glared at her. "I will be fine. I need to check on Shion again to be sure there are no problems following the birth. Please hurry and bring the baby to her parents before Little Master comes rushing over here himself." She set off to do as she'd said, and Mary brought the baby girl over to Shion's bedside.

"So, who's gonna be the first to hold the lil' one?" She caught a glimpse of the Little Master's white face. "Ya okay there? Ya look about ready to pass out!"

He smiled bravely and made a gesture toward Shion. "After what she went through to have her, let her be the first to hold her. I can wait. I'll just content myself looking at her."

Mary placed the baby in Shion's arms gently, and Shion looked down upon her daughter for the first time. She had downy bright red hair, and although her face was red and wrinkled, it was clear she had inherited her father's facial features. She had her mother's heart-shaped face, however. Her eyes had been closed when Shion had taken her, but they opened fully to reveal they were a bright emerald green, which surprised Shion since she'd heard that most babies were born with blue eyes that could later change color. "Hello, sweetie," Shion whispered. "It's nice to finally meet the one who's been kicking my internal organs around." She pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead. Her eyebrows drew together in sudden consternation. "Shelley, is it normal for her to be so tiny?" she asked fearfully.

Shelley, who had returned to standing after checking Shion over and finding no issues she needed to be worried about, looked slightly grim. "I do not believe so, Shion. When we take into consideration that you carried her to full-term, her size does not make sense to me. We will need to have Charles examine her as quickly as possible to ensure she is healthy."

No one saw the flash of guilt pass across Jr.'s face at Shelley's words. _It's my damn fault she's so small! I'm willing to bet my goddamn cellular ability got passed down to her and got screwed up along the way!_ He could hear Albedo attempting to speak to him, but he sent his brother a harsh internal message that he didn't want to be bothered right then. He slid his arm around Shion's shoulders and kissed her temple, trying to sound normal when he spoke. "If you feel up to it tomorrow, we'll try contacting him to see if he can check her out. How's that?" She leaned against him slightly and nodded silently. He slowly brought his hand up to touch his daughter's face reverently. "She's absolutely beautiful," he said softly and then looked confused as she turned her face toward him, her mouth opening and closing. "What's she doing?"

Shion shifted slightly to bring her daughter close as she lifted her loose pajama top. "She's hungry, and she thinks you might just be food," she told him with a smile. She helped the baby to find what she was looking for and gave a small gasp. "I'm guessing she's much hungrier than I thought."

Jr. gazed down at her, still looking confused. "Okay, I'm totally lost here. How are you feeding her like that, sweetheart?"

She giggled a little. "Shelley and I looked into the formula option, but they haven't stocked up on it well enough yet to get her started on that. I don't want to have to switch her back and forth between formula and milk, so I thought it'd be best just to have her on milk, at least for the time being."

He turned beet red. "Uh, I've got it now. So that means I'm going to have to share…" He glanced up at Mary and Shelley and trailed off in embarrassment as both lifted their eyebrows at him.

Mary said suddenly, "Hey, ya haven't even given the poor, lil' thin' a name yet! And she's been pretty patient, too! So what's it gonna be?"

Jr. and Shion's gazes met in surprise. "Um, to be honest, we never even discussed a name, even though we were positive she'd be a girl," Jr. muttered.

Shelley shook her head. "That does not surprise me in the slightest," she said with a laugh. "Well, do you not think it wise to christen your daughter with a name now, or shall she forever remain nameless?"

There was silence for a time, and then Shion said triumphantly, "Ayame!" at the same time Jr. said with a grin, "Kiku!" They looked at each other in dismay.

Jr. leaned down to kiss the top of Shion's head as he laid a gentle hand upon his feeding daughter's downy hair. "Since your mom was named Aoi, I think we should use Ayame to honor her, sweetheart."

She said quietly, "Thank you, Jr., but we can still use Kiku as her middle name, you know."

Mary seemed thoughtful for a few seconds. "So then that means she's gonna be Ayame Kiku Kukai, huh? I like it! What do ya think, Shelley?"

Shelley smiled. "I think it is an adorable name for her." She directed her gaze toward Shion. "We must get you cleaned up, and then you may come back and spend more time with the baby, although I would suggest resting for a while. Little Master, could you please hold the baby while Mary and I take care of Shion?"

Jr.'s blue eyes widened significantly. "How about I help Shion to the bathroom instead?"

Mary narrowed her eyes at him. "How come ya don't wanna hold Ayame? I'da thought ya'd be chompin' at the bit for a chance to hold the lil' one."

Shelley helped Shion to her feet after she'd taken Ayame and handed her to Mary. "I think Little Master is simply overwhelmed at the realization that his daughter has finally arrived. I can manage taking care of Shion on my own. We will return shortly."

After Shelley and Shion had disappeared, Mary said quietly, "That it, Little Mastah? Ya just tryin' to get used to the fact that she's finally here and all?"

Jr. bit his lip. "She's so damn tiny, Mary. What if I break her or something? I mean, it's not like I've ever had experience with babies."

Mary patted the bed for him to sit beside her. "It ain't got nothin' to do with havin' experience, Little Mastah. You're her daddy, and when ya hold her, it won't matter none that ya ain't never held a baby before." He did sit beside her, but his expression told her it was better not to press him at that time. "Ah, don't worry none. How about ya just look at her then?"

A proud smile drifted across his face as he lifted his hand to touch his daughter's face very gently. "It's amazing that Shion and I created something this perfect," he said softly, awestruck.

Later on, after Mary and Shelley had gone to the lower level for new clothes and returned to take showers, they gave the Little Master twin smiles. "We will let everyone know of the new arrival if you wish," Shelley said quietly.

Jr. thought about it as he sat beside Shion, who had fallen asleep not long after Shelley had brought her back to the bed. "As much as I want to go out and tell them, I don't really want to leave Shion's side right now. And I'm kind of enjoying watching Ayame sleep," he said, his gaze drifting to the crib.

Mary bounced up and down gleefully. "Aunt Mary's got it covered! I'll let 'em all know, don't ya worry!" She rushed out of the cabin, and after asking the Little Master if he needed anything and receiving a quick shake of the head from him, Shelley followed after her.

Not long after they'd left, Jr. felt his brother's consciousness stir again. _Rubedo, may I ask just why you have saddled the poor child with that name? It is enough that she has to live with the Kukai surname, but now you have forced… _Albedo came to a halt for a brief time before continuing in distaste. _You have forced the rather horrifying name of Kiku upon her as well. What exactly were you thinking?_

Jr. said defensively, "Well, **I **like it, and obviously Shion does, too, since she said it could be her middle name. We're her parents, and we decide. So live with it."

_Thankfully, the princess thought up a name that does not cause one to shudder at the sound of it. _Aware he was now moving into dangerous territory due to Rubedo's rising temper, he abandoned that line of conversation and chose to try approaching his twin about something else. _While I have your attention, I wish to say that no sense comes of allowing guilt to dictate your actions, Rubedo. Yes, it appears that your ability to halt cellular growth seems to have malfunctioned in some way in the child, but there's nothing to be done now. You'd do well to accept the situation and listen to what the blond one said to you._

Jr. didn't answer right away. Instead he simply sighed and placed a hand on the railing of the crib. He didn't want to discuss his feelings of guilt with Albedo, so after a minute or two, he said quietly, "Just let me spend time with my wife and daughter, Albedo." Having been dismissed, Albedo withdrew but not without a huffy sound of irritation.

Mary grinned at her sister outside of the lounge. "Boy, this is sure gonna be interestin' with a lil' one around! I hope that the Little Mastah gets past what's buggin' him and can hold Ayame soon, though." Her eyes had turned serious with that comment.

Shelley replied, "We know he is strong enough to do so. He has been eagerly awaiting Ayame's arrival, and that will go very far in helping him to deal with whatever feelings are causing him to avoid holding her. The fact that he will touch her is a very good sign. Now, let us go inside and inform everyone of the newest Elsa passenger."

Mary flew through the door, and Shelley followed at a more sedate pace. Seeing them, everyone looked up, although Captain Matthews and Tony seemed to have been celebrating early and for quite some time. Mary announced, "We got ourselves a new arrival! The Little Mastah and Shion are proud new parents to a lil' girl!"

Shelley stepped forward and placed a hand on Mary's arm, and Mary understood her sister wanted to be a part of the announcement as well. "They have named the little girl Ayame Kiku Kukai."

The Professor gave a sniff but refrained from commenting, and Tony said heartily, "Damn, but that's a mouthful, ain't it? Try saying that five times fast!"

Shelley smiled and hurried off to join Allen, noticing Mary had taken a seat by Tony. She'd wondered about the two of them lately, since they seemed to be growing rather close. Dismissing it from her mind, she moved closer to Allen, and he snuck a quick kiss from her. "So, I bet you're exhausted. Why don't I take you down to your room so you can rest?"

She leaned her head against him briefly. "As much as I would love to spend time with you, Allen, I am very exhausted. I would be grateful if you would do so."

He stood up and helped her to her feet. "You did an amazing thing today, Shelley Godwin. You deserve as much rest as you want." Surprising her, he took her hand to lead her from the lounge. "I missed you, and I can't say I'm worried about what anyone will say because they saw us holding hands. I'm not saying we need to be as…" He coughed before he continued. "As affectionate as Jr. and Shion can be in front of everybody, but holding hands should be okay, right?"

She gave him a luminous smile in answer. They stepped onto the elevator, and it quickly shot to the lower level. They stopped outside of her room, and he slid his arms around her waist. "Can I say that I'm proud of you for doing what you did today? I mean, not that I expected you to run off at the last minute, but what you did took a lot of courage for someone who'd never done that before."

She nestled into his embrace. "I must admit to being terrified, Allen. When Ayame would not respond at first, I thought it must be due to my inexperience. I did not want to have to turn to the Little Master and Shion and tell them that she had not survived, because I was afraid they would blame me."

He lifted a hand to stroke her hair gently. "You would have done all that was humanly possible, Shelley. I know it'd be devastating for them to hear, but it wouldn't have been your fault. Thankfully, though, everything's all right. I'm not going to keep you up, because you're starting to sway on me," he said with a chuckle. They kissed softly, and then Shelley made her way into her room to curl up in her bed, a warm glow spreading throughout her because of Allen's truthful words and kiss. She fell asleep with a smile playing upon her lips.

Jr. had decided to wait an extra day to try contacting Charles because Shion seemed somewhat lethargic the day after she'd had Ayame. Despite her protests that she was perfectly fine and could walk to the bridge, he'd insisted that it was better for her to rest one more day. As he watched her lean into the crib to pick up Ayame, he knew he'd been right. She'd kept Ayame by her the entire day yesterday, and that had kept her from knowing that he was avoiding holding their daughter. Now she turned to him with a worried look. "Jr., we have somewhat of a problem. The clothes Mary and Shelley bought for her won't fit her because they're too big. What is she going to wear? I can't keep her in a blanket forever."

He gave her a smile. "I was able to put in a rush order to one of the shops once I explained the situation, and they sent over a few outfits for her. Mary and Shelley are trading in the dresses they got for ones that'll fit her. Here, try this." He handed her very small ocean-colored footy pajamas. "We'll have more soon, I promise." He watched as she cooed at Ayame, changing her diaper and dressing her carefully. "I haven't been able to get any shoes for her, though," he said regretfully.

Shion turned to him, cuddling Ayame close to her. "Shoes can come later, since I'm more worried about covering her up in something that's not a blanket. Don't you want to hold her, Jr.?" she asked suddenly. "I've been monopolizing her, and I'm sorry."

He backed up slightly, biting his lip. "It's okay, sweetheart. She's content where she is, so there's not a lot of sense in moving her, right?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Jr., are you afraid of holding her? Your eyes are as wide as saucers right now."

His shoulders slumped. "I'm freakin' terrified, Shion," he admitted quietly.

She moved closer to him. "I promise you won't hurt her if you hold her, Jr., but I'm not going to force the issue right now. You look scared to death, and she'll pick up on that. How about we sit down for a minute, though?" He followed her stiffly to the bed and sat down beside her. "Look, sweetie, it's your daddy," she whispered to Ayame. "Do you want to say hi to him?"

Jr. smiled and brought his hand up to gently caress Ayame's cheek. "She's just as beautiful as her mother," he said softly.

Shion smiled as she listened to him talk quietly to their daughter. "You'll get there, Jr., and I don't think it's going to take long. You're not afraid to touch her, and that lets her know you love her." She kissed him tenderly. "Are you ready to head for the bridge now?"

He shook his head. "We have to stop by the lounge and pick up Shelley first. Plus, don't you think we should let everyone see our beautiful daughter?" He smiled at her and gently touched Ayame's cheek again.

A look of surprise settled on Shion's face. "I'd nearly forgotten they haven't seen her yet. Of course we have to bring her in so that she can meet everyone. We can't stay long, though, since we need to have Charles examine her." She allowed him to help her to her feet, cradling Ayame close to her body, and then they left the cabin.

When they entered the lounge, a cheer went up and Mary was the first to rush over. "There's the lil' one," she cooed. "Oh, and look at her in those lil' footy pajamas!"

Shelley stopped beside them. "I imagine you wish to introduce her before we leave for the bridge?" She pulled Mary back, saying, "We have seen her, Mary, but the others have not. Allow them their chance."

Shion came to a halt in front of the table that the Elsa crew always occupied. Tony stood up and peered down at the infant dozing in her arms. "Oh, wow," he breathed, "she looks a helluva lot like the Little Master, huh? You'd never get away with denying she's yours," he joked, and Jr. tossed a glare at him.

Hammer pondered, "I wonder if I can teach her how to hack…" He trailed off at the look on Shion's face. "Not that I would or anything," he added hastily, sitting back down.

Matthews seemed ill-at-ease. "She's definitely a cute, little thing, but jeez, I don't know the first thing about babies. Guess we're all gonna learn stuff we weren't expecting to on this journey."

The Professor and Scott weren't present, but Allen had made his way over to stand by Shelley and await his turn to see the baby. Shion turned to him with a small smile. "I'd like you to meet Ayame Kiku Kukai, Allen. She would be the one your girlfriend delivered, and for that, I can't possibly thank Shelley enough."

Allen took hold of Shelley's hand as a pink blush stole over her face. "I think she knows how proud I am of her for doing that. She's beautiful, Shion," he said softly, looking down at Ayame with an expression of wonder on his face. "Tony wasn't kidding, though. She looks a lot like you, Jr. What color eyes does she have, anyway?"

Jr. said proudly as he slid an arm around Shion, being careful not to jostle his daughter, "She has her mother's gorgeous green eyes, which means she'll be wrapping me around her little finger just the way Shion has." His teasing gaze met Shion's, and she wrinkled her nose at him.

Shelley spoke up quietly. "I do not wish to interrupt, but we should begin heading for the bridge."

Shion agreed. "Yes, we do have to get going. I need to be sure that Ayame is healthy despite how small she is. I do know she has a healthy appetite, so I'm hoping that's a good sign." She and Jr. said goodbye to everyone and exited the lounge with Shelley close behind them.

Once they'd arrived at the bridge, Jr. entered the coordinates for the Dämmerung. "Shelley, you said you talked to Charles yesterday about the examination, right? So he should be expecting our transmission." Soon after the words had left his mouth and Shelley had nodded, the transmission went through and an image of Charles appeared on the screen.

He smiled warmly at Shion. "Congratulations on your little girl, Shion. Shelley informed me about all that happened, and I told her she should consider becoming a doctor. Although," he mused, "we do still have nanomachines to heal, so it might get a bit boring. How is the little one doing?"

Shion stepped forward. "That's why I need you to examine her. I don't know if Shelley told you, but she's very small and it has me really worried."

Charles stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Carrying her to full-term should have ensured she would be born at a healthy height and weight. How very strange. Please bring her closer so I can see what exactly I'm dealing with." Shion did so, and his eyes suddenly widened. "She has red hair…" he muttered. His eyes swung toward Jr., who stared back at him unblinkingly. "It now makes sense why you were here for the appointments." Disapproval colored his voice.

Shion cried, "It's not what you're thinking! Jr. isn't what he appears to be!" Ayame awakened in her arms, setting up a cry of distress. "Shh, sweetie," Shion whispered, snuggling her close. "Mommy didn't mean to wake you like that." Ayame soon began to snuffle softly, her eyes already growing heavy.

"Shion, I do hope you don't expect me to keep this from MOMO," Charles said heatedly. "She adores that young man, though I'm not quite sure why."

Shion said desperately, "That's the very reason you can't tell her who Ayame's real father is! I need you to stay silent, at least for now!"

Jr.'s speculative gaze rested on Shion. _From the sound of that, it sounds like my lovely wife might be changing her mind about hiding everything from MOMO. I'll bet that I can convince her we need to come clean about it all. Yeah, it's gonna hurt MOMO, badly, but we've kept it from her long enough. _He moved to stand beside Shion. "All we're asking is that you give us some time to tell MOMO. Until then, we need you to keep this from her."

Shion pleaded, "Please, Charles. I'm so sorry to ask such a thing of you."

Charles was quiet for a few minutes before he answered. "I won't give you much time, Shion. Since I feel that she deserves to hear the truth from the two of you, though, I won't say anything to her. But you need to tell her soon. She's been miserable for months, because he can barely speak to her when there's contact between them and she also hasn't been able to see or talk to you since the beginning of your pregnancy. At least the reasoning for that is clear now. Had she used her observational skills to help me examine the baby, she would have known the identity of the father immediately."

Shion sighed heavily. "Yes, and I couldn't risk that. Thank you for agreeing not to say anything to her."

Charles replied, "It's not something I'm agreeing to easily, so please keep that in mind. Now allow me to examine the baby." He was quiet as he did so. After he'd finished, he addressed Shelley. "I am sending what she will need, along with notes as to what you'll need to do." She nodded silently, and Charles focused his attention on Shion. "She seems to be quite healthy, aside from her disturbingly small size. Do you have her on milk or formula?"

Shion answered, "Milk, because formula is still in short supply." Her voice trembled slightly.

"That's a wise choice. The nutrients in the milk will benefit her far more. I've got to be going," Charles said abruptly. Before turning away, he glanced at Shion. "Don't wait much longer to tell MOMO. She deserves the chance to get over this young man, since he has obviously moved on already." He ended the transmission without another word.

Jr. brought a hand to Shion's cheek, and she leaned into it with another heavy sigh. "Hey, at least we know she's healthy. That's the thing we wanted to hear, sweetheart. We'll worry about the rest later, okay? We'd better get back to the cabin, since Ayame looks like she's waking up again. Thanks for coming with us, Shelley," he said to her.

Shelley nodded. Just before she left, she told Shion, "I do believe that telling MOMO is the best course of action now, Shion."

Jr. and Shion glanced at one another, and that was when Ayame awoke with a wail. "We'll worry about it later, sweetheart," Jr. reiterated. "Right now, we've got a hungry daughter to worry about. Let's head back to the cabin so you can feed her."

Shion remained silent and simply nodded. She kissed Ayame's forehead gently, and then Jr. led her off of the bridge and back to their cabin. After both his wife and daughter had fallen asleep a little while later, he stayed awake to ponder ways to approach Shion now that she seemed to be reconsidering her stance on talking to MOMO. He stood up and placed his hands on the railing of the crib. "Looks like you've got your mommy thinking." He leaned down to run a gentle hand over Ayame's back, and she snuffled contentedly. "Have sweet dreams, little one." He returned to the bed to keep watch over his small family as they slept, feeling somehow at peace for the moment.

**Author's note 2 – **If you're wondering where Ayame's name came from, I simply followed the same pattern Xenosaga has in that many of the female characters have Japanese flower names. Ayame is iris and Kiku is chrysanthemum in Japanese. I thought Kiku would be cute since it runs into Kukai like that. XD Also, Allen's memory of when he and Shelley first say "I love you" to one another was done because Princess Artemis pointed out to me that she would have liked to see that happen. With all of the help she's given me over the course of this story, it was the least I could do. Besides, I think Allen and Shelley are really starting to come along now and deserved it.


	27. Baby On Board!

**Author's note – **It's so wonderful to see I've gotten over a hundred reviews on this story! I never expected that. Anyway, I'd give kait1114 a prize for submitting the 100th review, but I can't think of any. XD Here's the next chapter, so let me know how you think Ayame's fitting into the Xeno-verse.

A few days later, Shion leaned into the crib to pick up Ayame, who had just woken up. "Hello, sweetie," she cooed. "How about we change you and get you into a new outfit? Then you and Mommy are going to head downstairs for a little bit. Daddy said he'll meet us down there after we're done. He's busy tracking something with Captain Matthews right now, so that's why he's not here. Ooh, are you hungry again already?" she said with a giggle, feeling Ayame rooting against her. "All right then, Mommy will feed you first and then we'll do those other things." She sat down upon the bed so she could nurse Ayame. "This is starting to hurt Mommy's back, and Daddy's chair isn't the best place to feed you, either. We'll have to think of something else."

After Ayame was full and content for the moment, Shion cuddled her for a bit before setting her down to change her diaper and slip her into lavender footy pajamas. "Those are a gift from Aunt Shelley. You wore Aunt Mary's blue ones for a while yesterday, so it's only fair you wear the ones Aunt Shelley gave you today, right?" She picked Ayame up and placed a blanket over her. "Time to head downstairs." She left the cabin and headed into the elevator, smiling when she felt Ayame snuffling against her neck. "I hope you know how much Mommy loves you, sweetie." She noticed off-handedly as she passed the Professor's workroom that it was empty, and then she realized it was almost lunchtime. Coming to a stop in front of KOS-MOS' old maintenance room, she pressed a kiss to Ayame's forehead. "Mommy just wants to introduce you to someone." She quickly disappeared into the room.

She sat down upon the small sofa within the room and settled Ayame in her arms. "I'm sorry I don't come and visit much anymore, KOS-MOS. Please don't think I've forgotten about you. I'm here because I want to introduce Ayame Kiku Kukai, Jr.'s and my daughter. I thought you might like the chance to look upon her. She looks so much like her daddy, doesn't she? Although she does have my eyes and the shape of my face… I wonder who she'll be most like as she grows up, but I'm not looking to rush her. I like my little snugglebug just the way she is right now." She snuggled Ayame close. "I hope that wherever you are now, you're somehow able to see her. I think you can, even if we can't see you." She got to her feet carefully. "I'll see you soon, KOS-MOS."

When she left the room, she saw Jr. just coming through the door to meet her. "Hey, sweetheart," he greeted, kissing her softly. His eyes fell on his daughter, and he smiled. "How's my favorite little one?" He kissed her forehead gently, and Ayame shifted in her blanket.

Shion said quietly, "So were you able to tell what it is that you're tracking?" She didn't attempt to have Jr. take Ayame, because he was still avoiding holding her. She'd tried talking to him about it, but he'd skirted the issue. She knew there was something more than just simple fear of holding Ayame that was keeping him from doing so, but since he refused to tell her what it was, she didn't know what to do. She had no doubt that he loved their daughter, because she could see it in his eyes whenever he looked at Ayame. That was what made it all so frustrating that he wouldn't talk to her about what was going on inside his head. Pulling herself back to the current conversation, she listened to Jr.'s reply.

"No, it's impossible to pick it up. Whatever it is keeps out of sensor range, like it knows what we're trying to do. We're going to have to keep a careful eye out, since we don't know what's trailing after us. Anyway, did you tell KOS-MOS about our little one?" A proud smile appeared on his face as he brought his hand up to caress Ayame's cheek with his thumb.

Shion nodded. "Yes, I spoke with her. I know she heard me, somehow." She was silent for a minute. "Jr., I was thinking about having the sofa from in there brought up so I can nurse Ayame in it. The bed isn't always the most comfortable place to do it, and your chair doesn't work at all. Do you think you could find someone to help you move it?"

He thought about it for a few seconds. "Yeah, I bet Tony would be willing to help out. I'll ask him when we get up to the lounge. I'm sure you're starving since we missed breakfast this morning." He motioned for her to move ahead of him and followed after her.

When they entered the lounge, Mary hurried over. "Hey, I didn't see any of ya this mornin', ya know! I got to have my daily dose of Ayame, and now I'm missin' some of it! Hey there, lil' one," she whispered, before pouting when she realized Ayame had fallen asleep again. "Ain't she a doll when she's sleepin', though? I could just eat 'er up!"

Jr. laughed. "That kind of talk won't be going over well when she's old enough to understand you. She'll be thinking Aunt Mary's some kind of damn monster." All he got in response from Mary was her sticking out her tongue and returning to Tony's side.

He and Shion arrived at the table the Elsa crew usually occupied, and Shelley appeared at Shion's elbow. "Shion, I will take her while you eat if you wish me to. I will stay by your side since she does seem to possess an uncanny sense of knowing when either of you are too far from her." She took the sleeping infant from Shion with a smile, and Allen wandered over with a grin.

"We were wondering if you got lost this morning. It's not like Jr. to miss a meal," he joked, and Jr. shot him a glare.

"Hey, I had other stuff on my mind, okay? So don't worry about what I'm up to, got it?"

Allen drew back, looking a little hurt. He and Jr. had been getting along recently, so to have Jr. bark at him the way he just had was unusual. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it," he muttered.

Shion gave Jr. a sidelong glance. She knew very well what had caused him to snap at Allen like that, but getting angry over making no progress in finding out what seemed to be following them wouldn't help. "Jr., Allen was only joking with you."

He turned to her with a sigh. "I know. Look, Allen, I'm sorry I acted like an ass just then. It's not you, trust me."

Tony spoke up. "Is that why you're not holding Ayame, Little Master? You afraid you're gonna get her upset with how you're feeling?"

Jr. turned a dull red. He didn't know how to answer the question without revealing that he hadn't yet held Ayame once. Mary and Shelley were aware of it, but the others hadn't quite picked up on it yet. Deciding to avoid the question altogether, he began eating rapidly. Tony shrugged and pulled out a pack of cigarettes as Matthews drifted over, already smoking. Shion jumped to her feet, a furious look on her face. "You can't smoke around Ayame! Put that out immediately!" she threw at Matthews, who hurried to do as she said. Tony quickly stashed his pack back in his pants pocket before Shion got to it.

"Smoking is bad for you, anyway," she said snippily. "Why would you want to waste money on something that you get absolutely nothing from?"

Jr. coughed. "I used to smoke, sweetheart." Her shocked gaze flew to his face, and she seemed unable to form a response. "I quit just before we headed off on the journey. Didn't see much sense in continuing then," he said, raising his eyebrows at Matthews and Tony.

"Well, it's a good thing you don't now. It's bad enough that you won't hold Ayame; I'd toss you out of the cabin if you smoked around her," Shion snapped.

Everyone stared at Jr., who flushed again. The Professor piped up with, "The more I learn about him, the more the new arrival gains my sympathy for looking so much like him. Maybe it'd be a good idea to toss him out now, girly."

Shion took Ayame from Shelley carefully. "I'm going back to the cabin," she said haughtily. "You can do what you want." She turned away from Jr. and made her way out of the lounge.

Feeling everyone's curiosity beating at him from all sides, Jr. got to his feet. "Who the hell said I needed to explain myself to anyone?!" He stomped out of the lounge, leaving mouths hanging open.

"He really won't hold her?" Tony asked Mary, and she shook her head at him sadly. "I don't get why he won't, man. She's a damn cute baby, and she ain't even mine."

Shelley said contemplatively, "Little Master must have a reason that he has refused to share with Shion. Fear is not something that holds Little Master back for long." They all discussed what could possibly be keeping Jr. from holding his daughter, but soon enough the conversation turned to other things. Mary and Tony weren't happy when it was brought up how close the two of them had become.

"Well, it ain't like we got tons o' prospects around!" Mary huffed. "And just 'cause we like hangin' out together, don't mean anythin' is goin' on!"

Tony agreed heatedly. "You're all reading into this way too much. Mary and I are just good buddies, so don't be making more of it than what it is!"

Allen met Shelley's gaze and saw the same amusement in it that he knew must be in his. They weren't the ones being teased this time, and they found it was a nice change of pace. They didn't join in on the teasing, but they did sit back to watch it with laughing eyes. "Watching Mary and Tony get what they give is highly amusing," Shelley said with a quiet laugh.

Allen replied with a chuckle, "Yeah, I do have to say that they don't take abuse well. They can sure dish it out, though. Seems only fair that they see the other side, don't you think?" Shelley smiled and squeezed his hand beneath the table, and they returned their attention to the scene in front of them, seeing that both Tony and Mary had been reduced to stumbling over excuses as to why they were together so much.

Later on that night, Jr. slipped into bed beside Shion and found her to be very tense. "Shion, are you still mad over the fact that I smoked?" he asked, confused.

"No, I'm not. I'm upset over the fact that you won't tell me why you refuse to hold our daughter, Jr. She's a week old, and you haven't held her once. She deserves to have her father hold her, you know. I've given you plenty of time, but you have to face up to whatever it is and get over it." She refused to turn to him when he touched her shoulder.

"Shion, I…" He trailed off, unsure of how to put what he was feeling into words. He felt her shake her head, and soon, her body relaxed as she drifted off into sleep. "I wish I could tell you what's going on, sweetheart," he whispered. Closing his eyes, he fell into a restless slumber.

Jr. entered the cabin after having spoken to Captain Matthews again about what was trailing after them to find Shion just putting Ayame down for a nap. She looked up at him with a smile. "Just keep an eye on her while she sleeps. She should be out for a little bit, though. I've got to go and talk to Shelley. I'll be back soon." She gave him a kiss and then disappeared through the door. He made his way toward the crib to check on his sleeping daughter, and seeing that she was resting peacefully, he decided to take down one of his books and read while she was asleep. He dropped into his chair and quickly became lost in the book, keeping an ear out for any noises from Ayame.

Some time later, his eyes opened, and he shook his head to clear the last vestiges of his unexpected nap from it. "Dammit," he muttered, "how the hell did I fall asleep? I usually only do that if I read in bed." He shot to his feet, feeling as though something was suddenly very wrong. He spun in the direction of Ayame's crib and realized immediately why he had that feeling. There was someone leaning over her crib that he recognized, but he told himself it was impossible for that person to be there. "You…" he breathed furiously.

The person turned to him, and the haughty features of Dmitri Yuriev stared back at him. "I see that you're awake now, Rubedo. I didn't wish to disturb you, so I simply let myself in," he said with a chuckle.

Jr. glared at him. "What the hell are you even doing here, you bastard?! You're gone! We got rid of you, so there's no goddamn way you can be standing here! Get the hell away from Ayame's crib!"

Yuriev's attention focused briefly on the crib before it returned to his son. "Did you honestly think I would go so easily, Rubedo? I have lived far too long to be gotten rid of in such a manner. Besides, it seems my granddaughter was calling to me."

Jr. growled, "She's nothing to you! Get the hell away from her crib, I said!"

Yuriev gave him a terrifying smile. "She is everything to me, but I'll get to that later, of course. Now I wish to have a conversation with the son who has always managed to defy me at every turn. First, you cut the link while upon Old Miltia, forcing me to alter my plans somewhat. Then you appear with your friends in Abel's Ark and think to destroy me with that miserable failure and Nigredo, but as you can see, you failed. Now I see you have defied me yet again by conceiving a child with a woman, despite my efforts to ensure that it would be impossible. Do you enjoy defying me, Rubedo?"

Jr. narrowed his eyes at him. "After I figured out what you were up to, yeah, I enjoyed it. Ayame wasn't born because of my need to defy you, though, so don't give yourself a damn bit of credit for it. I'm going to give you one more goddamn chance to get the hell away from her crib before I blow a hole in your abdomen big enough to fit the entire star cluster we're traveling through!" He grabbed his guns from their holsters beneath his duster jacket and pointed them at his father.

"You wouldn't dare to shoot me, not when you consider your precious daughter is directly behind me. Then again, you certainly have no issues killing family members, so murdering your daughter in the name of killing your creator should pose no problem for you," Yuriev taunted.

Jr. shouted, "Shut up! You don't know me, and you never have! All we ever were to you were soldiers you could order around! Ayame is my daughter, and I will never treat her the way you treated all of us!"

Yuriev smiled again, and a chill went up Jr.'s spine. "You won't ever have the chance, Rubedo. That's why I'm here. The fact that you were able to produce a child despite the mutations you were subjected to is something that is of great interest to me. I intend to study her and see exactly what she is capable of. If she survives the experiments, I may return her to you. Don't dare get your hopes up, though." He laughed malevolently.

"No, you're not going anywhere! I won't let you touch her, you bastard!" Jr. threw himself forward, but Yuriev sidestepped him neatly, causing Jr. to fall heavily to the floor.

"Say goodbye to the daughter you will never see again, Rubedo, and know she will not remember you." Yuriev leaned into the crib and picked the sleeping Ayame up, settling her against his shoulder with an evil grin. "Farewell, Rubedo." He disappeared before Jr.'s eyes, his laugh remaining behind to haunt Jr.

"Ayame!" Jr. screamed, falling to his knees. He brought his hands to his face, his devastation rendering him unable to move. As he heard the door open behind him, signaling Shion's return, he let out a shout of despair for his lost daughter.

Jr.'s eyes shot open, and he flung the covers away as he sat up. He jumped to his feet to rush toward Ayame's crib, fearing what he might see within it. He looked down to see his daughter whimpering slightly in her sleep, and he leaned into the crib to gently scoop her up in his arms. She startled briefly, a tiny cry escaping her lips, before he brought her blanketed form close to him. Seeming to sense that it was Daddy holding her, she snuffled against his neck softly before slumping in the boneless way children do when they fall asleep. "Thank God you're safe, little one," he whispered, caressing her downy hair with his thumb as he supported her head and feeling her warm breath blowing against his neck.

"Jr.?" came Shion's sleepy voice from behind him. "What are you doing over there? Did Ayame wake up and I didn't hear her?" He heard her shift in the bed, and he pressed a kiss to Ayame's head before turning to face his wife. He watched as her eyes widened, and she sat up in the bed slowly. "Jr., you're…holding her," she said haltingly, the shock she was feeling evident in her voice. "How in the world…?"

He smiled at her. "Shhh, she's sleeping," he said quietly. He made his way back to the bed slowly, being careful not to disturb Ayame, and sat down beside a still astonished Shion. "She's so warm when you hold her close like this," he marveled.

Shion giggled softly. "She's just like her daddy. She gives off a lot of body heat like you do." Her face turned serious. "So what changed, Jr.? Why are you able to hold her now?" She shifted closer to him and placed her head upon his shoulder as she lifted a hand to gently stroke Ayame's back.

He sighed, and the sigh seemed to ripple through Ayame as she did the same in her sleep. "I know I've been keeping why I wouldn't hold her from you. I couldn't talk about it, sweetheart. Every time I tried to, my throat closed up on me. When you said what you said to me tonight before you fell asleep, I wanted to tell you because I knew you deserved to know, but the same damn thing happened. It must have had an effect on my subconscious, though."

She looked at him, confused. "Why did you think you couldn't tell me, Jr.? Was it something I said, or did I act in some way that made you think you had to keep it to yourself?"

He kissed her, shaking his head. "It was never about you, and I swear that to you. It was all me. I knew you'd reached your limit tonight, and that must have been what caused it." The confused look was still on her face, and so he continued. "I had the most goddamn terrifying nightmare, Shion. My father came back in it, and he stole our little one away. I tried to stop him, but I was totally powerless against him. I could only watch as he disappeared with her in his arms, laughing while he did it." She brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes stricken. "I woke up right after, and I rushed to make sure she was safe. When I saw she was still sleeping in her crib, my first instinct was to pick her up, to be sure she was okay. The terror I'd felt at losing her and then the relief that poured through me at seeing she was safe canceled out what I'd been feeling before and allowed me to hold her in my arms." He gently kissed the top of Ayame's head, and she cuddled into his neck.

Shion smiled softly at the picture her husband and daughter presented before asking, "Are you going to tell me now what it was that you were feeling? I'd like to know what kept you from holding her, Jr."

He was silent for a few seconds before he answered. "I wasn't lying when I said I was terrified of holding her. It just wasn't the whole truth, sweetheart. You know how damn much I was looking forward to her finally joining us, but when I saw how tiny she was, all I could feel was guilt." He moved Ayame's blanket up slightly to cover her.

Shion's eyebrows drew together. "What could you possibly have to feel guilty over?"

Jr. smiled weakly. "You forget who you're talking to, sweetheart. Think about why I look the way I do. I've got the 'amazing' ability to halt my cellular growth, and when I saw our beautiful little one, I knew it had gotten passed on to her. The problem is, it got totally screwed up in her. I don't know if your genes were warring with mine, trying to fix what I'd done to her, but it has to be why she's so damn small. It's the only thing that makes sense. I've made it so she'll never be able to grow the way she should. She'll never be normal, sweetheart." Tears came to his eyes, and he was astonished to see her smile and shake her head at him. "Do you mind sharing what you could find at all funny about what I just said?"

She rested her hand against his cheek. "Jr., neither one of us can be considered normal. It's silly to think that we could have a child that would be. I can guarantee you that she won't hold it against you as she grows, though. She'll know that you didn't do it purposely or out of malice toward her. I understand how you could have blamed yourself, but not allowing yourself to hold her because of guilt wasn't the way to deal with it. Please promise me that you'll talk to me about things like this from now on, rather than letting them linger on the way you did with this." Her green eyes focused on his blue ones intensely.

He said quietly, "I promise, sweetheart." He seemed about to say something else when he chuckled. "I think the little one woke up. She's being kind of insistent about something that Daddy can't help with." As soon as the words had left his mouth, an angry wail issued from Ayame, and he handed her to her mother gently after Shion had gotten to her feet.

Shion made her way toward the sofa that Jr. had brought up with Tony's help not long before everyone had headed off to bed. Ayame was wailing adamantly by that time, and Shion hurriedly arranged herself so she could feed her. Jr. came over to stand behind the sofa, and he placed his hands upon Shion's shoulders. She looked up at him with a soft smile, and the small family was silent except for the sound of Ayame nursing contentedly.

The next morning, just before heading off to the lounge for breakfast, Jr. was receiving a crash course in diapering and outfitting Ayame from Shion. "Jr.," she said with a laugh, "you have to tighten it a little more, or the diaper is going to fall off the instant you pick her up."

He did so hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt her, though. What if I make it way too damn tight, and she can't breathe or something?"

She kissed him on the cheek. "Need I remind you about those gray hairs, sir?" He threw a mock glare at her. "Now lay the outfit on the bed before trying to put it on her. Then all you need to do is slip her arms and legs in and button it up."

He was slightly more confident with that task, and he picked Ayame up, pressing her close to him. "Just give me some time, little one. I'll get it soon, I swear."

Shion tucked a blanket around Ayame, covering her head with it. "Since she's already had her early morning breakfast, how about you and I get a move on so we can eat? Did you want me to take her, or are you all right with her?"

Jr. appeared thoughtful for a few seconds. "I think I'll let you take her. I did monopolize her last night, so I'm sure you're missing her about now." He kissed Shion softly and then carefully handed Ayame to her. "Okay, let's go get some damn food," he grinned, following after Shion as she left the cabin.

When they entered the lounge, they noticed the atmosphere surrounding the Elsa crew seemed rather sleepy. Hammer had his chin resting on his hand as his eyes drooped, Matthews was yawning noisily, and Tony had his head on his arms on the table. Jr. glanced at Shion, who appeared just as confused as he was. "Hey, up and at 'em, guys," he said jovially once he'd gotten to their tables. "Did you have an all-nighter or something last night?"

Tony groaned and lifted his head enough to stare at the Little Master. "That would have been a helluva lot more entertaining. No, we discovered just how damn happy we are to be in the cabin next to you, Shion, and Ayame."

Shion perched on the edge of the booth seat. "What do you mean by that?" Ayame began to fuss, and she busied herself cooing at her.

Hammer rubbed at his bloodshot eyes. "We mean that we heard just how ticked off she sounded last night. And none of us could get back to sleep after she woke us up."

Jr. laughed as he rested a hand on his still fussing daughter's blanketed head. "You'll all live. Hey, little one, what's the matter?" he said, patting Ayame's back. "You want Daddy to hold you?"

The silence in the room was deafening. Mary, who'd just come from the kitchen, stared at the Little Master with wide blue eyes. "Little Mastah, that almost sounded like ya were offerin' to take Ayame from Shion! My ears must be clogged or somethin'!"

Jr. rolled his eyes. "Your ears aren't clogged. I did offer to take her. Come here, little one," he said quietly and took Ayame from Shion. "Yeah, you just wanted to show all of 'em that we know what we're doing now, huh?" He grinned as Ayame snuggled against him, causing her blanket to fall from her head.

Allen and Shelley, alarmed at the silence coming from the lounge, hurried in from the kitchen. "Why do you guys all look so shocked?" Allen asked just before his eyes rested on Jr. "Oh, **that's **why."

Shelley smiled as she approached. "It is wonderful to see that you have lost your fear of holding Ayame, Little Master. She seems quite comfortable in your arms."

Jr. managed to shift the blanket back over Ayame's head, and the instant he did so, the fussing began again. "Ah, I get it. You don't like having your head covered, do you? You want to see what's going on." He moved the blanket slightly, and the fussing died down. "So, where's breakfast?" he demanded.

Allen chuckled. "Well, can you blame us for wanting to see what was going on in here? I don't think it's ever been that quiet on the ship. We'll bring it out now." He and Shelley disappeared briefly and then returned quickly, mouthwatering smells surrounding them, and the shocked silence in the lounge finally broke. The usual noise level of the lounge resumed, and everyone chatted as they ate. Jr. told Shion to eat first while he walked around with Ayame, a proud smile on his face as he pointed out things to her. Once Shion had finished eating, she laughingly took Ayame from Jr., who was extremely reluctant to part with her. "Are we going to have to schedule holding time?" she teased him.

Mary tapped her fingernails on the table. "Ya know what this means, don't ya?" she grumbled. "I gotta share her with another darn person. Jeez." She brought her hands up to rest her chin on her upturned palms and pouted.

"Okay, I'm gonna go and eat then," Jr. told Shion, dropping a kiss on Ayame's forehead and then brushing a kiss against Shion's lips. "I have to talk to the Elsa crew, anyway, and see if Hammer made any headway in figuring out what's tailing us." He rushed over to the table, pulled a plate toward him, and engaged Hammer in conversation.

Shion spotted Allen and Shelley at the back table they always occupied and headed in their direction. They looked up, smiles on their faces, when she joined them. "I see you have managed to wrestle Ayame from the Little Master," Shelley noted. "It is good to see him holding her now, Shion. It is important that she bond with her father as well as her mother."

"I'm happy, too, but I don't think Mary's thrilled about it." Shion glanced toward Mary and giggled when she saw Mary was still pouting somewhat. "Allen," she said suddenly, and his eyes widened, "how come you've never asked to hold Ayame? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable by thinking you have to; I've just been wondering about it."

He gave her an embarrassed smile. "It's not that I haven't wanted to, Shion. I mean, she's really cute, so of course I'd want to. It's just that Shelley told me about how Jr. hadn't held her yet, and I didn't want to overstep or anything. It's not like any of the Elsa crew has been looking to hold her, so I didn't have to worry about them stepping on Jr.'s toes, either. I just figured I'd wait until he'd had his turn first."

She returned his smile. "That sounds just like you, Allen. Would you like to hold her now then? I think she'll be going down for a nap very soon. She's been wrinkling her nose up, and that means she's getting sleepy."

Allen looked over at Jr., who was talking animatedly with his hands and shaking his head back and forth. "Are you sure Jr.'s going to be okay with it, Shion? I'd really rather not go back to the way things used to be between us. I'm kind of enjoying the peace," he said with a small grin.

Shion placed Ayame in Allen's arms, saying, "He'll be fine. He's not even paying attention, anyway." A loving smile crossed her face, taking the sting out of her words.

Allen glanced down at the baby girl he held within his arms. "Hi, Ayame," he said quietly. Her green eyes looked up at him almost contemplatively. "You look like you're sizing me up for something. I can already see a lot of your daddy in you." She yawned widely, but her eyes remained alert and focused on him. "It's weird, you know," he mused.

Shelley had leaned over to gently smooth an errant piece of Ayame's hair from her temple. "What is, Allen?" Her purple eyes were soft as she took in the picture Allen and Ayame made. She liked the fact that he was comfortable holding Ayame as he was, and visions of a possible future tickled her mind.

Allen shot Shion another grin. "It's a little weird to see your eyes looking up at me out of Jr.'s face is all. Well, Jr.'s face if he happened to be a baby girl," he said with a laugh. "You're a very beautiful little girl, Ayame Kukai. How about you go back to Mommy now, since you look like you're getting ready to cry on me?" He was handing Ayame gently back to Shion, when Ayame began to wail.

"Okay, sweetie, let's head back to the cabin then. Mommy will rock you to sleep," Shion said soothingly, and almost as though she understood, Ayame's wails started to lessen in volume.

Jr. came hurrying over. "What's the matter, little one?" he asked, caressing Ayame's cheek with his thumb. Shion whispered in his ear, and he nodded. "Okay, we'll head back to the cabin. Hammer didn't make any progress, so we can't do anything on that damn front. We'll see you guys later," he said and then narrowed his eyes at Allen, who looked slightly uneasy. "It's a good thing she didn't start crying until you were giving her back to Shion."

Shion sighed. "I should've known you knew what was going on." Jr. grinned at her, placing a hand on the small of her back to get her moving in the direction of the door. "See you later on in the day, you two," she called over her shoulder, and Allen and Shelley waved as they disappeared.

"You seemed quite comfortable while holding Ayame, Allen. Have you had much experience with infants?" Shelley asked with interest.

Allen nodded. "I come from a pretty big family, so yeah. Ayame's a whole lot smaller than the other babies I've held, but that's about it. I don't think you could ever forget how to hold one, even though it's been a while since I have."

She was quiet for a few seconds, and he nudged her gently. "I am sorry. I was simply thinking to myself. Would it be too forward of me to say that I was thinking about our future? A future that includes children of our own for you to hold?"

His blue eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. "Nope, I don't think it's too forward. I was kind of thinking the same thing to myself when I was holding her. Not that I'm looking to rush you or anything," he hurried to say with a blush.

She laughed softly. "You worry far too much, Allen Ridgeley." Moving closer to him, she brought her lips to his. It was a kiss of promise, and it was over quickly due to the company surrounding them, but it was still noticed by that same company. Tony gave a whistle, and Mary winked at them, her former pout having disappeared. Allen and Shelley shook their heads simultaneously, sighing. "It seems they will never change. If I were at all like my dearest sister, I would point out the fact that she is sitting far closer to Tony than mere friendship would dictate. She should consider it her good fortune that I am in possession of something that she is not."

Allen glanced at Mary, who was staring back at him with an innocent expression. "And I'm guessing that would be tact, right?" Seeing Shelley's smile when his gaze returned to her gave him his answer, and he chuckled. "Hey, after we clean up, are you headed downstairs with me to the workroom? The way the Captain keeps switching your schedule around, I'm never sure where you're going to be anymore."

"I have spoken to Captain Matthews about that, and he has agreed to a set schedule. I was in the same position of never knowing, and it was becoming exhausting going down to the workroom and then having to immediately return to the upper level because the Professor informed me I was needed on the bridge. I will be in the workroom in the morning and on the bridge in the afternoon, meaning my evenings are free." The two of them got to their feet, realizing it was time to begin cleaning up. They ignored Mary and Tony as they threw wise remarks their way, retreating to the kitchen to wash dishes and sneak kisses.

--- A week later ---

After she'd put Ayame down for one of her afternoon naps and left Jr. to watch over her, Shion hurried to the UMN terminal outside the bridge. She keyed in coordinates and waited for the transmission to go through. She'd been attempting to contact the Dämmerung for the past few days, wishing to talk to Miyuki. She hadn't spoken to Miyuki much since her encounter with Jr. after the first examination with Charles, but she thought Miyuki might want to see Ayame. The image that filled the screen caused her to move back a step. "MOMO!" she cried, surprised.

MOMO's golden eyes widened, and a beaming smile appeared on her face. "Shion!" she said happily. "I wasn't expecting it to be you, but I'm so glad it is! It's so good to see you! Oh, I'm being forgetful. Congratulations on having your baby! Charles told me you had a little girl when I asked him. Where is she?" she questioned, seeing Shion's empty arms.

Shion bit her lip. She hadn't been prepared to see MOMO, and her emotions were all over the place. On one hand, she was just as happy to see the small Realian because she'd missed her; but on the other, guilt flooded her because of all that MOMO wasn't aware of. "She's napping, MOMO. I was actually looking to talk to Miyuki, but I'm happy to see you. How have you been doing?" She knew she sounded stilted, but there was nothing she could do about it.

MOMO didn't seem to be picking up on Shion's formalness. "Well, I've been keeping really busy on the ship. We have lots of people here to take care of, and Doctus and I still have things we've got to work on. I think we've found all the survivors that we're going to, though. So little of the Federation survived," she said sadly. There was a pause, and then her eyes brightened. "So, why don't you tell me about the baby? Charles didn't even tell me her name!"

Shion's thoughts were in turmoil. _How can I tell her about Ayame? How can I stand here in front of her after what I've done? I don't even have the courage to tell her that Jr. and I are in a relationship. And not just a relationship, either! We're married, and the baby she wants to hear about so much belongs to Jr., the one she loves. Look at what I've managed to do because I refused to tell her the truth from the beginning! _She said quietly, "Her name is Ayame Kiku."

MOMO giggled. "Shion, is that all you're going to tell me? What does she even look like? Does she look like you or Allen, or is she a combination of the both of you?"

Shion drew a deep breath, and that was when she heard Ayame's furious wail. "MOMO, I'm going to have to get going. Ayame's woken up from her nap, and it sounds like she's hungry. Can you let Miyuki know that I want to talk to her if you see her?"

MOMO nodded. "Of course! Oh, she sounds really upset, Shion! You'd better hurry and get to her." Ayame's wailing was rising in pitch, and Shion began to worry. The wails sounded irate and had taken on a keening edge. "It was wonderful to see you again, Shion! I hope to see you again soon!" MOMO's image disappeared from the screen just as Jr. exited the cabin with Ayame clutched in his arms.

Shion rushed to him, taking a red-faced Ayame. "Okay, sweetie, Mommy's going to feed you. Don't you worry." She headed back into the cabin quickly, Jr. trailing behind her. She situated herself on the sofa and stroked Ayame's hair as she started nursing vigorously. "No wonder you sounded so upset. You're starving, aren't you?" she cooed.

Jr. chuckled lowly. "Yeah, and Daddy's finger wasn't cutting it. If she had teeth, I'd have been in some serious trouble. What were you off doing, anyway?" he asked curiously.

"I was trying to contact Miyuki. I've been trying for the past few days, because I thought she might want to see Ayame, even if she is angry with you over how you acted that time." Jr. made a face but remained silent. "She wasn't the one to receive the transmission, though." Shion stopped there, busying herself with concentrating on Ayame.

Jr. watched her for a minute or two and then moved to stand behind her. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "So, were you planning on telling me who did then?"

She sighed. "I knew you would ask that. It was MOMO. I wasn't expecting to see her, and I had a hard time talking to her. She asked about Ayame, what her name was and what she looked like. Before I could say anything, Ayame started to wail."

Jr.'s blue eyes narrowed. "If you'd been able to answer, what would you have said to her, Shion?" His tone was cool.

"I don't know!" she whispered frantically. "Jr., she doesn't even know about us! Did you expect me to tell her that Ayame looks mostly like you, with a hint of me thrown in?" She looked down at Ayame, whose eyelids were starting to droop. It was clear she wouldn't be awake for much longer. "Let's change your diaper really quick, sweetie, and then you can go back to napping." Shion got to her feet and gently laid Ayame upon the bed to change her.

Jr. waited until she was done and had returned Ayame to her crib after rocking her to sleep in her arms. He took hold of her arm and moved her away from the crib. "Shion, we can't keep it from MOMO any damn longer!" he told her in a low voice. "It's not fair to any of us in this family, and it sure as hell isn't fair to her!"

She covered her face with her hands. "I know it's not fair to anyone involved in it, Jr.," she replied, her voice slightly muffled. "Where would we even begin if we were to tell her, though?"

He pulled her into his arms, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "We'd begin by telling her that we weren't looking to hurt her. We'd also tell her that we never planned on any of this happening, but you can't control who you fall in love with, sweetheart. My heart belongs to you, and she needs to know that."

She sobbed, "Jr., I'm scared. I don't want to break her heart, but I don't want to hide anymore. It's just that I know she's going to be devastated when we tell her, and the thought of that is enough to make me want to run." She encircled his neck with her arms and buried her face in the crook of his shoulder.

"We've done enough running, sweetheart," he said firmly, tightening his arms about her waist. "We're going to do this together, and you can take any strength you need from me. Okay?"

"When did you want to tell her?" she asked in a small voice. She had begun trembling, and he ran his hand over her hair comfortingly.

"Soon. Within the next few days, since you've finally agreed we need to tell her about it. It'll be okay, Shion," he murmured, nuzzling her ear. "Yeah, it's gonna hurt her, but it'll hurt her even worse the longer we keep it from her. And I want to finally lay claim to my family, because they're really damn important to me."

She lifted her head, her face tear-stained. "It's my fault you haven't been able to yet, but it's time I fixed it. Because I really do love you, Gaignun Kukai Jr., despite how silly I've been acting about this." Her green eyes softened as they met his blue ones.

"I love you back, sweetheart. And you weren't acting 'silly' about it. You've just been afraid, and I know that." Their mouths met in an intense kiss, and Jr.'s body reacted strongly to it. He pulled back with a groan. "You're not anywhere near recovered from Ayame's birth, so how about we just ignore my reaction to that kiss?"

Shion brought a hand to his face. "For now, we will. But later on…" she teased. She moved away from him then, heading toward Ayame's crib.

He stared after her, wondering why she was standing so still after she'd put her hands on the railing. Shaking his head, he followed after her and slid his arms around her waist from behind. "What are you doing, sweetheart?" he asked.

She leaned back against him. "Sometimes it's hard to believe she's ours, Jr."

He laughed softly. "That's only because she's sleeping right now. If she wasn't, it'd be really damn obvious who she belongs to."

She smiled. "That's not what I meant, but now that I think about it, she does seem to have inherited your loudness," she said innocently. His reply caused her to blush, and she turned in his arms to give him a glare that had no real heat behind it. "You're much louder than I am," she huffed at him.

"That's a matter of opinion," he said, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Anyway, I know what you meant when you said what you said before. I know it's a little hard to believe that we created something that damn perfect, but we did. She's definitely ours." He smiled proudly, and then the two of them stood for a time, simply watching over their daughter.


	28. Secrets And Lies Revealed

**Author's note – **Is it horrible to say that the Yuriev nightmare sequence seems to have gone over the way I hoped it would? Anyway, here's the next chapter for all of you. This one is full of drama and angst, so don't say I didn't warn you! Oh, and for those missing the action, I can safely say I have ideas for the next chapter that should make up for a lack of it lately. I hope, anyway. XD

**Disclaimer – **Yikes, another OC has popped up on me! So here I claim who belongs to me in the story – Ayame, Charles, Damien (he's the new one), Joshua, and Melissa. I think that's all of them. Whew!

--- Aboard the Dämmerung ---

Charles made his way over to where Melissa was sitting with Joshua bouncing happily on her lap. "Sorry I'm running late, but my last patient was quite the talker," he laughed. He dropped a kiss on Joshua's head, and his son made obvious gestures for his father to take him. Charles did so and sat down across from his wife. "I'm starving. Did the both of you eat already?"

Melissa nodded. "I wasn't sure when you would show up, and Joshua was getting a bit impatient. Are you planning on staying a while this time? We haven't seen all that much of you for the past week and a half or so."

Charles sighed but didn't answer right away. _How do I tell her that I've been so confused over what I learned that I don't know what to do? I've never kept secrets from her in the time we've been together, but if I tell her what I know, she'll go straight to MOMO. It's not up to either one of us to tell her the truth. She needs to hear it from Shion and that young man. _He moved his hand across the table to place it over hers. "I know, and I'm sorry. I've just been so busy with assisting patients that I feel as if I have no time of my own right now. I hope you'll forgive me."

She smiled at him. "Oh, you know I will. When have I ever stayed angry with you?" She was about to say something else when her eyes focused on the area behind him. "There you are, MOMO! I was beginning to think you got lost!"

Charles stiffened. He knew he couldn't possibly stay if MOMO joined them. He didn't want her picking up on what he knew. Rising gracefully to his feet, he handed Joshua back to Melissa with an apologetic smile. "I'm going to have to leave, dear. I promised I'd check in with another one of my patients, so I'll see you later on tonight. Forgive me for dashing away, MOMO." He kissed Melissa quickly and was gone.

MOMO's gaze followed him until he disappeared from the dining room. "That was strange. I've never seen Charles so uncomfortable, Melissa." She didn't seem to ponder it for long, and Melissa noticed her eyes were shining. She gave Joshua a kiss on the cheek and then sat down, smiling. "I finally got to talk to Shion yesterday! It made me so happy to see her again!"

Melissa put aside that her husband had indeed acted strangely to concentrate on MOMO. "Oh, that's wonderful news, MOMO! How did this come about?"

"She was trying to contact Miyuki, and I happened to be the one to receive the transmission. I asked her about the baby, and all she got to tell me was her name before she had to go. The baby sounded really upset over something." MOMO's enthusiasm was infectious, and it caused Melissa to smile at her.

"Her days are going to be filled with that now, sweetie. Babies are very demanding creatures, but they're worth every single sleepless night. So, what exactly did she name her? I don't think Charles has even said much about the baby, even though he's examined her for your friend." A thoughtful expression settled on Melissa's face.

"Maybe he just hasn't had time to discuss her much?" MOMO wondered. "Anyway, Shion said her name was Ayame Kiku. I'm guessing she has Allen's last name, since Shion didn't really specify. I don't even know what she looks like. Shion didn't have enough time to tell me before she had to go. I bet she's adorable, though!" A shadow fell over them, and they both looked up to see who was standing by the table. MOMO's smile grew even wider when she realized who it was. "Oh, Damien, it's so good to see you! Why don't you have a seat by me?" She scooted over.

Damien was one of the people from the Foundation, and over the past month or so, he and MOMO had become close friends. It had started out with him asking if he could assist her and Doctus with their work, because he hated the thought of doing nothing. He understood the intricacies of the UMN, and he even felt that it could be possible to enable transfer of living material such as humans if enough data was tested on the theory. While MOMO had been shy around him at first, soon the fact that they were working together so closely on projects caused her shyness to dissipate. At eighteen, he was a few years older than she was, but he talked to her on a mature level that reassured her he didn't think of her as a child. His gray eyes crinkled at the corners as he grinned at her. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping you'd say that when you saw me. Hey, Melissa," he greeted as he took a seat by MOMO.

Melissa returned his greeting. "It's nice to see you, Damien. How come you don't have anything to eat? Aren't you hungry at all?"

He shook his head. "Nah, I ate a little while ago. I came in to grab a cup of coffee, and I saw the three of you over here. I thought I'd stop by and chat for a while. Hey, big guy." He shot another grin at Joshua, who gave him a big smile back. "What are you all up to, anyway?"

MOMO turned to him. "I was just telling Melissa that I finally saw Shion yesterday, since I haven't had a chance to tell anyone until now with how busy we've been. You remember me telling you about her, right? She's searching for Lost Jerusalem aboard the Elsa, along with the others that went with her. I got to talk to her very briefly, but it was wonderful to see her again after all of these months!"

Damien grinned again. "That's great news, MOMO! I know how much you missed her, and it's really good to hear you got to talk to her. Did she seem okay?"

MOMO's eyebrows drew together. "When I think about it now, she seemed a little uncomfortable to be talking to me. I think it might be because it's been so long, though. Maybe she felt weird because of the length of time that passed since we last talked. Anyway, I'm just happy to have seen her. I hope I get to see her again soon."

While Damien, Melissa and MOMO were busy talking, Charles was headed in the direction of the workroom that Miyuki was sure to be in. He'd been thinking for the past few days about her, and he wanted to ask her about something he'd been wondering about. He wasn't sure if she'd talk to him since she didn't know him very well, but he knew that if he didn't try, he'd spend too much time pondering about what was in his head. Drawing a deep breath, he stepped up to the door and poked his head into the room. He saw Miyuki working off to the side and, hoping she'd be receptive to speaking with him, made his way toward her. "Ms. Itsumi, could I have a word with you?" he asked quietly.

She spun to him, looking confused. "Do I know you? Oh, yes, you're Dr. Laramie, aren't you? I'm sorry for not recognizing you right away! Why would you want to speak with me, though?"

He nodded toward the hallway, and she followed after him, her expression slightly wary. Once they'd left the noisy atmosphere of the workroom behind, he turned to her with a sigh. "I know you're wondering why I'd go out of my way to search you out when we barely know one another. You see, MOMO has spoken of how you seem to have been avoiding her for quite some time. I wish to ask you just why you've been doing so."

Miyuki blushed. "I haven't been avoiding her! I've just been crazy busy, and I don't have time for much of anything!"

Charles said quietly, "I believe that we may be in the same position if what I'm thinking is correct. Does it have anything to do with Shion and that young man MOMO cares so much for?"

Miyuki's brown eyes widened. "Wh-what do you mean by that?"

Charles was silent for a few seconds. By her reaction, he'd guessed right about why she was avoiding MOMO. It made sense when one thought about the friendship she had with Shion that she would have found out what was happening somewhere along the way. "I mean that I know, Ms. Itsumi. When I examined Ayame, I discovered that she had red hair. The exact same shade of red hair as the young man, in fact. When I noted that, the way he looked back at me told me all I needed to know."

Miyuki sat down heavily on the booth in the hallway. "It feels so weird to have someone else know what I know. So Shion finally had the baby then? I haven't talked to her lately, so I didn't know. Is the baby cute?" she asked suddenly.

Charles looked a bit taken aback at the question. "W-w-well," he stammered, "I was busy noticing her rather disturbing size, but she did seem to be a beautiful baby."

Miyuki clucked her tongue. "Men," she said, shaking her head. "Guess I'll have to see for myself then. What's this about her size, though?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Shion carried the child to full-term, and yet she's no larger than a baby born quite prematurely. It makes not one bit of sense to me. Despite that, she appears to be very healthy. I would know for certain if MOMO could be involved, but that's obviously out of the question." Charles had taken a seat by Miyuki and was rubbing at his temples.

"Once Shion has her mind made up, it's really difficult to change it," Miyuki sighed. "I should know from working with her as long as I did. I also know, though, that Jr. can be just as stubborn, just from the little bit that I was around him. He might have his work cut out for him, but I have the feeling that if anyone could get Shion to change her mind about something, it'd be him. Did you talk to her about telling MOMO? She told me that eventually she'd tell her, but…"

Charles replied, "I did speak to her about it. I thought I made it rather clear that if she didn't tell MOMO what was happening very soon, I'd take it out of her hands. MOMO deserves to know. She should have known long before this rather than being strung along by that young man."

Miyuki raised an eyebrow at him. "You haven't once referred to Jr. by name, you know. I'm guessing you don't like him, do you?"

Charles said stiffly, "He's quite rude, if you'd like to know the truth. I don't understand what MOMO sees in him, and, to that degree, I fail to see what Shion finds attractive about him. Especially with the apparent difference in ages."

Miyuki opened her mouth and then closed it. It wasn't her place to defend the relationship Jr. and Shion had. She said simply, "I think I'm going to see if I can get in touch with Shion. It's good to know I'm not alone anymore." She gave him a small smile before hurrying off.

Damien had waited for MOMO to finish in the dining room and say goodbye to Melissa and Joshua, and now they were headed to meet with Doctus. "I don't think I've ever seen you this happy," he told her quietly.

MOMO smiled a little guiltily. "I know I shouldn't be as happy as I am with everything that still needs to be done aboard the Dämmerung, but seeing Shion was important to me. She's a wonderful friend, and all of these months that have gone by without seeing or speaking to her were really hard."

Damien laid a hand on her shoulder, and she blushed slightly. "I didn't mean that you shouldn't be happy about it, MOMO. I'm glad you are. I think I was just pointing out that it's nice to see you happy. You've been too quiet in the time we've known each other, but that only makes sense with what's been going on in your life. It's good to see one aspect of it clearing up for you."

She nodded fervently. "Yes, it really is. I know the other aspect's not going to change, though. You know, the one with Jr.?" She sighed, looking downcast. "I guess I just never expected him to end up with feelings for Shion. I know his feelings won't go anywhere, since Shion hasn't ever looked at him like that, but it doesn't make it hurt any less."

He stopped walking, and she did the same, wondering what had caused him to come to an abrupt halt. "It's okay to hurt over it, MOMO. No one would expect you not to, not with how much you care for him. I just wish I could maybe do or say something that would help."

Her smile was slow to start, but it infected him once it had spread across her face, causing him to grin back at her. "By being my friend, you've done a lot more than I can ever thank you for, Damien. You've listened and never judged anyone or anything, and that's really important to me." She seemed hesitant, and he tilted his head, a puzzled expression on his face. Before he could question her, she hugged him briefly. "I know it's not enough, but thank you so much for being there for me these past few weeks."

He hugged her back, and she giggled. "It's good to hear I've helped. Guess we'd better get going, though, before Doctus has our heads." They started walking again, and that was when Miyuki blew past them at a run. MOMO called after her half-heartedly, knowing she either wouldn't turn or she'd simply wave and keep going. As she'd suspected, Miyuki threw a quick wave over her shoulder but didn't slow down. She disappeared around the corner. "What was that about?" Damien asked with wide eyes.

"I don't know," MOMO said with a sigh. "She's avoiding me because she feels guilty about something, but since she's avoiding me, I can't find out what it is she feels guilty over." She looked melancholy, her former happiness seeming to evaporate.

"Hey, you can't worry about everyone, MOMO. I know it's who you are, but I'm here to see that you stop doing that all of the time," he said, shaking a finger at her. She laughed, and he chuckled in relief. "Good, I was hoping to make you laugh. Now, come on." They set off once again toward the room they were to meet Doctus in.

While Miyuki felt guilty over how she hadn't stopped to talk with MOMO, she'd learned to bury the emotion over the months since learning of Shion's secret. It was the only way she was able to keep going and not fall apart at what she was doing. She hurried into one of the rooms containing a UMN terminal and keyed in the coordinates for the Elsa. The transmission went through immediately, and Tony's image appeared. "Hi, Tony," she said quickly. "Is Shion around?"

He grinned at her. "Hey, Miyuki! Haven't seen you for a while! Uh, I think Shion might be in the cabin. The little one was getting cranky, so she was going to try putting her down for a nap. That's what she said in the lounge, anyway. Just let me go and check, okay?" He jumped out of the pilot's seat and exited the bridge. He returned a few minutes later with Shion in tow. "Here she is. I'll just let you two have some girl's time." He grinned at Shion, who waved him away.

"Oh, Miyuki, it's you! Tony didn't tell me who wanted to talk to me. Did MOMO let you know then that I was trying to get in contact with you?"

Miyuki shook her head. "No, I was talking to Dr. Laramie actually, and he told me that you'd had the baby! So where is she? I want to see how cute she is!"

Shion answered, "You might not want to see her right now. Ayame is in a very cranky mood. Maybe it'd be better to wait to see her."

Miyuki began bouncing impatiently. "It sounds like she's not sleeping, so what can it hurt to see her? Come on, Shion!"

Shion rolled her eyes at her. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Jr. has her in the cabin, so let me go and relieve him of her." She wasn't gone for very long, but the wailing of an infant signaled her return. "She didn't sleep well last night. She was fussing almost the entire night, so she's cranky from being overtired. But this is my beautiful little girl, Ayame Kiku Kukai," she said proudly, letting Miyuki see Ayame, whose wails seemed to be starting to fade.

Miyuki giggled. "Wow, you can see who her daddy is, huh? That red hair is a dead giveaway! She's so tiny, though." She looked alarmed at Ayame's size, and Shion's gaze fell to her fussing daughter.

"Jr. and I discussed that, and we think we know the cause of it. It does take you off-guard the first time you see her, doesn't it?" she said, her tone a little sad.

Miyuki decided to avert Shion's attention from what she'd pointed out without giving thought to how Shion might react. "She really is beautiful, and I mean that, too. Most people just go around saying it, even if the baby isn't really all that cute. It's good to see you and Jr. combined to make something that I don't have to lie about." She laughed as Shion gave a long-suffering sigh. "Does she have your green eyes?" she asked, squinting. Shion nodded.

Ayame had begun to snuffle softly, and Shion brought her blanketed form close to her. "Yes, you're so very tired, aren't you, sweetie? Daddy seems to have passed on his horrible sleeping habits as well as his hair color and facial features. That wasn't very nice of him, was it?" She snuggled Ayame, and Ayame's eyes grew heavy.

Miyuki couldn't help but smile as she watched the exchange. "It's so hard to think of you as a mom, Shion, but you're really good at it. So, what's been going on over there? I know we haven't talked much lately, and I want to know what I've missed."

Shion laughed quietly as she rested Ayame against her. "You never change, do you? Well, I don't think you know this, but Allen and Shelley are in a relationship now." Miyuki's eyes went almost impossibly wide, and she seemed to be in too much shock to comment. "And Jr. and I -" She came to a halt when the door opened behind her.

Miyuki groaned when she saw it was Jr. "And here I was thinking I'd gotten away with not seeing you," she muttered.

Jr. narrowed his eyes at her but refrained from replying. "Is she finally asleep, sweetheart? Here, let me take her so I can put her down in the crib." He took his daughter in his arms gently, and she gave a small sigh as he shifted her slightly to bring her to his chest. "Yeah, Daddy's got you, little one. Let's go back to the cabin." He pressed a kiss to Shion's mouth before whispering something in her ear. Without a word to Miyuki, he left the bridge.

"I'm going to have to get going, Miyuki. Ayame likes to have both Jr. and me around when she's sleeping, and she's got a sixth sense about one or the other of us not being there while she's asleep. I don't want her to wake up after the night she had. I'm glad I heard from you, though. It was nice to see you again, and I'll tell you what else has been going on the next time I talk to you, okay?" The two of them said their goodbyes, and then Shion ended the transmission.

--- Aboard the Elsa the following day ---

"Shion," Jr. said patiently, "I agreed that we could wait until after Ayame had had her nap before we tried contacting MOMO. I knew she wouldn't stay asleep for Mary, even though she's pretty comfortable with her. One of us still has to be around for her not to get upset, though, and that's just when Mary's holding her. Since we both need to talk to MOMO, you know damn well what would happen. It's why I agreed to it. Now it's time to stop stalling."

Shion turned to him, her green eyes wide. "I'm not stalling. You know Ayame has to be fed and changed, or she's going to turn into a terror."

He raised an eyebrow. "You haven't even picked out her outfit yet, and you've been thinking about it for five minutes already." He took a tiny aquamarine-colored dress from the shelf and handed it to her. "Just let me get her stockings, and once you put them on her, we'll be ready to go."

After she'd finally outfitted Ayame and placed a blanket around her, he took their daughter into his arms. "Sweetheart, I know you're freakin' scared to death here. I can see it from the way you're trembling. We've got to do this, though. You know that as well as I do. We're not hiding any damn longer."

Her lower lip began quavering. "I know, Jr., but what if she never forgives us for what we've done?"

He kissed her softly. "Then that's something we'll have to live with, sweetheart. Let's get going, so we can get this over with, okay?" After she'd nodded tentatively, he carefully handed Ayame to her. "No matter what happens, our family is gonna be just fine. Come on." He slid an arm around her waist and led her resolutely out of the cabin.

At the UMN terminal, he could feel her shaking as she cooed to Ayame. "Remember what I said, sweetheart. We're doing this together, so draw the strength you need from me." She didn't answer, so he keyed in the coordinates for the Dämmerung, hoping they'd manage to have MOMO pick up the transmission. He was about to give up, feeling the relief already beginning to pour through Shion, when an image of MOMO appeared. He instantly felt Shion tense up, and he discreetly laid a hand against the small of her back to try and calm her.

MOMO beamed at Shion. "Oh, I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon, Shion!" She suddenly took notice that Jr. was standing beside Shion, and her eyebrows drew together in confusion. "Why is Jr. with you, though?" she asked. Her hand came to her mouth as a fearful expression stole across her face.

Jr. spoke up, sensing that Shion wasn't going to at that point. "We've got something we need to talk to you about, MOMO. It's something really important, and we need for you to listen to us."

MOMO was picking up on the vibes flowing between Jr. and Shion even across the communication, and she began to back away. "Shion?" she said, her tone pleading.

Shion closed her eyes briefly and then met MOMO's golden ones sadly. "There's been a lot going on that you don't know about, MOMO. That's my fault, because I was the one who wanted to keep it from you. Oh God, where do I even start?" she whispered, and Ayame whimpered in her arms, sensing her mother's distress.

Jr. reached over to touch Ayame's blanketed head soothingly, and he saw MOMO's eyes follow the motion. "I think you know I've been trying to tell you lately how I feel about Shion, MOMO. I also kinda got the feeling that you already knew and were afraid to hear me say it."

MOMO moaned quietly. "I did know, but I wanted to be wrong, Jr. I didn't want to think you'd fallen in love with Shion." She fell silent for a minute before she continued. "Are you saying that it's mutual?" Her eyes beseeched Shion to negate what she seemed to know already, but Shion couldn't do that for her.

"It is, MOMO," she replied softly. "I'm so sorry we kept it from you. Jr. and I have been in a relationship for months. Things started to change between us this past Christmas, when he set up an Encephalon dive so I could see my mother before she fell ill from the contact with U-DO."

Jr. took up the reins of the story. "I had known for a while that I was in love with Shion, but I never thought she'd give me a second glance when it came to that. It turns out I was wrong. We stayed just friends for a little while after the dive, but we both knew where it was headed."

MOMO folded her hands together in front of her, her head lowered. "How long were you actually even together with Allen then, Shion? You allowed me to think you were still so happy with him, and it was only because of Jr. that I found out the two of you had ended things." Her head shot up so she could pin Shion with an accusing glare.

Shion started to take a step back, but Jr.'s hand on her back prevented her from doing so. A lone tear made its way down her cheek. "We were together for slightly over five months. Things were always rocky between us, though, and rather than stay and try to work it out, I did what I've always been good at. I ran away," she said bitterly. "I ended the relationship without a thought as to what Allen might have wanted."

MOMO shook her head, her eyes full of tears. "Why couldn't you have told me that sooner, Shion? That's what I don't understand! You would have been content to let me go on believing the lie that you and Allen were still in a relationship, just to hide the fact that you and Jr. are in one now! How could you do that to me?" she cried.

Jr. glanced at Shion, who was trying desperately to maintain her composure for Ayame's sake. Ayame was already beginning to fuss in her arms, sensing the tenseness of the conversation taking place. "She was looking to protect you and your feelings, MOMO. She was afraid of hurting you by having you find out what was going on between me and her."

MOMO swiped angrily at her eyes. "I don't think that's true, Jr." Her voice full of quiet hurt, she returned her attention to Shion. "I trusted you, Shion, and I believed you were my friend. But friends don't lie to friends and keep something like this from them. They just don't do that!"

Shion bit her lip. "I know, MOMO, and I'm so sorry! I know how much you care for Jr., and I entered into a relationship with him, anyway!"

MOMO waved that away because something else was wounding her in a far worse way. "Yes, it hurts me to know that you've done what you've done despite my feelings for him, but it's the fact that you lied about it and hid it from me that hurts the most, Shion! At least Jr. tried to tell me some of the truth," she said sadly, meeting his eyes with some difficulty. "I wouldn't let him, but he tried. I trusted in you to be my friend, and when it really counted, you weren't. You ran away and hid."

Shion lowered her head, managing to keep the tears filling her eyes from spilling over her cheeks. "Yes, I did," she admitted painfully. "I won't deny it."

MOMO stood stiffly as her gaze returned to Jr. "Ayame is yours," she said to him, no hint of uncertainty in her tone. "When Shion wanted me to confirm her pregnancy, I remember that I sensed something was off about the baby's DNA pattern. I didn't stop to think about it, because I didn't think I had to. Now I know why it was off. I was observing you in the baby's genetic makeup." Her lower lip began to quiver, and she dropped her head to her hands.

Since Jr. thought it best that MOMO know everything by the time the conversation was over, he cleared his throat. She lifted her head, her golden eyes dim with the knowledge of what she'd learned so far. "There's still one more thing we need to tell you, MOMO, because I don't want you to think we're keeping anything from you anymore." He watched her eyes widen, and he said very quietly, "Shion and I are married, or at least as married as we can be without an actual record of it. We have been for the last three months."

MOMO's voice was soft when she answered. "I wish I could congratulate you on your marriage, but I can't." Shion spoke her name desperately, and their eyes met. "I don't think I want to see you again for some time, Shion. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for lying to me or for hiding so much from me. I don't even know if I can ever trust you again. Right now, all I know is that I can't look at you anymore. Please don't try to contact me, at least not for a while." They saw her face crumple as she ended the transmission, and Shion finally gave in to the tears she'd been holding back. Her sobs caused Ayame to begin wailing in distress, and Jr. buried his emotions for the moment in an effort to comfort his family.

--- Aboard the Dämmerung ---

MOMO left the room in a haze of pain and tears, not paying attention to where she was going and not knowing where she even wanted to end up. All she could think about was how everything she'd known had been shattered by what Jr. and Shion had told her. _Shion, how could you? I trusted you; I believed in you! And you hid so much from me for so long. How can I ever forgive you for doing that to me? How can I forgive you for thinking so little of me when I thought we were so close? _A hand on her shoulder jerked her from her thoughts, and she looked up into Damien's concerned face.

"I knew something had to be wrong when you were late, so I told Doctus I'd go searching for you. What's got you so upset, MOMO?" he asked anxiously.

She tried to stop crying, but the tears wouldn't cease falling. "M-my whole w-world just g-got…turned up-up-upside down," she sobbed and felt his arms go around her. She collapsed against him. He stayed silent while she cried, holding her in a comforting embrace. She cried until it felt as though her well of tears had gone dry, and then she looked up at him with reddened eyes. "I'm sorry for doing that to you," she said apologetically. "I didn't mean to weep all over your shirt like that."

Damien shook his head. "I'm not even remotely worried about my shirt. I'm worried about **you**, and what could have possibly happened to make you cry like that. If you don't want to talk about it, I'll understand. I just want you to know that I'm here to listen if you need and want a friend." His gray eyes were full of concern for her, and she smiled tremulously at him.

"Can we sit down first? I don't think I can stand much longer. My legs feel all weak and trembly," she said, dashing at her cheeks with her hands. He led her to one of the booths in the hallway and helped her to sit down before sitting beside her. She sighed quietly. "I've always wanted to be human, and I've always been happy that Daddy gave me my human emotions. Now I don't think I want them anymore, Damien. Emotions hurt too much," she whispered.

His dark brown hair fell across his forehead as he leaned down to look into her face. "Emotions aren't always easy to deal with, but I think they're important to have. They make it so we care about people, and that's how everyone aboard the ship has come to love you. They know you care for each and every one of them."

She nodded slowly. "Yes, you're right. It doesn't make what I learned any easier, though. I just wish she'd told me so much sooner, because then maybe I could have forgiven her. Now I don't know that I can," she murmured, twisting her hands together in front of her.

Damien placed his hand on her shoulder. "Does this have anything to do with your friend you saw the other day?"

MOMO fought back another wave of tears that threatened at his use of the word "friend." She answered, "I don't think I can consider Shion my friend anymore." Just saying the words aloud caused a fresh wave of pain to crash over her, and she lowered her head as the tears began anew. "I didn't think I had any tears left," she sniffled after a few minutes.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked gently.

Once she started talking about it, the whole story came pouring out. She didn't stop once, and he understood she just needed him to listen and not make any comments until she'd finished. She looked small and lost afterward, and he took her hands in his. Her golden eyes met his gray ones, and in hers he saw raw pain that made his heart ache for her. "I think the best thing you can do for now is exactly what you told Shion. You need to stay separate from them, so you can have the time to think everything over. And also so you don't feel pressured to forgive them if you can't. Because in the end, that's your decision to make, MOMO."

"I know," she said simply. They heard footsteps approaching, and she quickly brought her hands to her face to try and wipe away the evidence of her tears. Before the owners of the footsteps had even come into view, she knew one of the people was Ziggy from the heavy thudding sound of his feet hitting the floor. The person with him was Juli, and she knew immediately that there was something wrong with her daughter. She hurried to sit beside MOMO, and MOMO rested her head against her mother's shoulder as Juli held her.

"Sweetheart, I can tell you've been crying. What's been going on?" Juli asked, stroking MOMO's pink hair comfortingly.

MOMO told them the story somewhat haltingly, and after some thought on the matter, Ziggy commented, "I am disappointed in Jr. and Shion for the way they have handled this. I would not have believed them capable of hiding the truth for so long from you."

Juli was fuming over the treatment of her daughter. "I'm furious over how they handled this. They knew how wrong it was, and they did it despite that knowledge." She got to her feet, and MOMO stared up at her, an expression of understanding dawning upon her face.

"Mommy, no! I don't want you to confront them about it! I just want it to be left alone for now! I don't want any conflict between everyone because of me!" She pulled on her mother's arm, her golden eyes pleading with Juli to sit back down.

Juli placed her hand on MOMO's, but she was filled with maternal outrage for her daughter. "This conflict isn't because of you. It's because they saw fit to lie about what's been going on, and I've got some things to say about the matter to them."

Ziggy said quietly, "I have a few words I wish to say to Jr. as well. Between the both of them, I would have expected more from him. I will accompany you when you speak to them, Juli." Before MOMO could even attempt another protest, Juli had dropped a kiss on the top of her head, and she and Ziggy were disappearing around the corner.

--- Aboard the Elsa ---

Jr. and Shion had returned to the cabin after the conversation with MOMO had ended, and, at the moment, he was still attempting to console his wife and daughter. Shion hadn't stopped crying since MOMO's image had disappeared, and Ayame was wailing in response to her mother's sadness. Jr. brought a hand to Shion's cheek, and her watery green eyes met his sadly. The tears were finally easing up, and he said softly, "You have to remember that we did what we had to, sweetheart. She has every right to be pissed about what she learned."

Shion pressed a kiss to Ayame's forehead, and Ayame's wailing changed to sleepy snuffles. "Mommy's sorry she upset you, sweetie." Her attention focused on Jr., and she leaned into his hand. "I know she does, Jr. I just wish we could have spared her all of that pain somehow."

Hating to sound as blunt as he was going to but having no choice, he told her, "The only way we could have spared her all of that pain was to have stayed apart, Shion. Even if we'd told her right in the beginning, she still would have been hurting over it. So, in order to spare her every damn bit of pain we just caused her, would you give up all that we have now?"

She looked down at Ayame and then into his eyes. "No, I couldn't and wouldn't give it up, Jr., not even to spare MOMO pain. I love the both of you too much. That makes me sound so horrible, doesn't it?" she whispered.

He shook his head and cupped her chin in his hand. "It makes you sound like what you are, sweetheart, and that's a wife and mother." She smiled at him tearfully, and he kissed her softly. "For the record," he murmured when they parted, placing a gentle hand on Ayame's head, "I wouldn't let you give it up. The two of you are everything to me. You know that, don't you, little one?" Ayame's emerald eyes stared up at him solemnly, and he leaned down to kiss the top of her blanketed head.

_Why do you insist on awakening me with all of this drama, Rubedo? _Albedo questioned, his tone somewhat snippy. _You knew ma pêche would react the way she did, and I dearly hope the princess would have known as well. After all, she did snatch you right out from under ma pêche's nose. Although I am not one bit surprised that she was not troubled over that so much as the fact that she's been lied to for nigh onto a year._

Jr. shot Shion a tense smile, which she understood to mean Albedo was communicating with him. She lowered her head to coo at Ayame, who yawned widely. Shion nodded her head in the direction of the sofa, indicating she was going to feed Ayame, and Jr. let her go with a light kiss. "She didn't 'snatch' me out from under MOMO's nose, Albedo," he hissed. "And where the hell have you been for the last two and a half weeks?! You haven't said one word to me since right after Ayame was born!"

Albedo sighed, and Jr. had a sudden image of him lounging against a wall in a bored fashion. _If I had my own body, that is indeed what I would be doing, Rubedo. That's beside the point, however. I haven't wished to disturb your little family, since you seemed rather comfortable without me. Besides, it's not as if I've been looking forward to the new arrival. Watching from a distance as I have been, I can clearly say I have yet to see what the fuss is about over her. She doesn't seem to do much beyond sleeping, eating, and needing her diaper changed_, he said distastefully. _I will give her credit in that she has interesting eyes, though. One could almost believe an old soul is looking out from those eyes due to how she seems aware of everything around her. I would think that's uncommon for a newborn child. I am not, however, any kind of an expert in baby matters. An unfortunate thing, of course_, he added caustically.

"Yeah," Jr. said with a proud smile, "she does take everything in, and she always knows when you're talking to her. She amazes me every day." Albedo made a disgusted noise, and Jr. snapped, "You're going to have to get used to this, Albedo. She's here to stay, and even if your consciousness does exist inside me now, you're still her uncle. It'd be nice if you could learn to accept her."

_The thought of her realizing I exist and calling me 'Uncle Albedo' is causing me to shudder violently, Rubedo. Or it would if I was still in possession of the ability to do so_, he said musingly. _Now it seems you're needed by the princess, so I shall leave you to your husbandly and fatherly duties._ His consciousness withdrew, leaving Jr. shaking his head and sighing over the fact that his twin never seemed to change.

"Did you need me for something, sweetheart?" Jr. asked once he'd reached Shion's side. She looked up at him with a small smile after he'd dropped a kiss on her head. Looking down, he saw that Ayame was nearly asleep as she held her against her chest. "You need me to take her and put her down?" he whispered. She nodded, and after he'd taken Ayame in his arms, there was a loud chiming noise to notify them that someone was at the door. Ayame startled at the noise and instantly began to wail. "Dammit," Jr. swore, "she's exhausted because of the tension from that conversation, and now whoever's at the damn door had to go and wake her up. It's okay, little one," he told Ayame soothingly as he brought her against his chest. "Shhh, Daddy's right here holding you in his arms. How about we go for a walk to the door so Daddy can have a few choice words with the idiot standing there?" He pressed a kiss to her forehead, feeling her snuggle against him as she snuffled softly, and moved toward the door somewhat reluctantly.

Hammer backed up a step at the ferocious look on the Little Master's face when the door opened. "S-s-sorry to disturb y-y-you, Little Master," he stuttered, "but there's a tr-tr-transmission for you and Sh-Shion."

Jr. looked back toward Shion, who was headed toward him. "Who the hell is it?" he demanded of Hammer.

A miserable expression settled upon Hammer's face. "It's Ziggy and Dr. Mizrahi. They don't look too happy, either. Did something happen, Little Master?"

Jr. clenched his teeth. "Crap, I should have known this was gonna happen. We told MOMO a little while ago what's been going on," he explained to Hammer. He turned to Shion. "So, do you want to do this now? We can just have Hammer tell them we're busy right now if you're not up to it."

She shook her head. "No, I want to get it all out of the way, Jr. Let Juli and Ziggy say what they need to, because they have just as much right to be upset with us. MOMO is Juli's daughter, and Ziggy pretty much considers her to be his, too. I'm done avoiding," she said, her tone strong.

Jr. glanced down at Ayame, whose eyes were fluttering as she fought sleep. "I don't wanna have to take her with us and subject her to more damn tension."

Shion gently removed Ayame from his arms, and she immediately felt Ayame slump against her. "She's fallen asleep for now. I doubt she'll stay that way once we get to the bridge, but we don't have a choice, Jr. Let's go." She stepped past Hammer, and Jr. quickly followed after her.

Matthews and Tony nodded when Jr. asked if they could have a private word with Juli and Ziggy, and they exited the bridge. Jr.'s eyes met Ziggy's. "We're here, old man, so go ahead and say what you're looking to say."

Ziggy said, his voice full of quiet disappointment, "I do not believe you have earned the right to walk in and speak with your typical attitude, Jr."

Juli's glance moved over both of them. "I can't believe that I even have to speak to the two of you about the enormity of what you've done. No, Shion," she snapped, holding up a hand when Shion opened her mouth to say something, "you will listen to what we have to say. There is no excuse for what you've done to MOMO. Nothing either of you say will change my mind about that."

Ziggy's attention didn't leave Jr. "Would this be what you consider protecting MOMO? Lying to her for months to conceal the relationship you have started with Shion is not something I would consider as falling under that category, Jr. I would not have thought you capable of it, but it would seem I was entirely wrong about your character."

Jr. stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "And who the hell are you to judge me, old man? I tried to convince Shion we needed to tell MOMO, but she was scared to goddamn death of hurting her and having to deal with what would result from it."

Ziggy's voice remained quietly even, but even over the communication, it was obvious he was struggling to keep his temper in check. "You have kept this secret from MOMO for months, and in doing so, done more damage than if you had told her in the very beginning. You enabled Shion to do what she wanted, and for that, I have lost all respect for you, Jr.," he said flatly.

Jr. shouted, "I don't remember saying that I needed your damn respect in the first place!" His raised voice caused Ayame to awaken in Shion's arms, and her wailing filled the room.

Juli's gaze focused on Ayame and then moved up to meet Shion's. "Is this the kind of example you wish to set for her, Shion? That it's better to lie and to avoid than it is to meet things head-on and deal with them immediately?"

Shion lowered her head, feeling Juli's disillusionment in her weighing her down. "No, it's not," she said softly.

"Then see to it that you learn from what you've done here. I have nothing more to say to either of you. Looking at you angers and saddens me to no end." Juli turned away from the screen and walked away, her back rigid.

Ziggy remained behind for another moment. "Do not attempt to contact MOMO again, and that applies to both of you," he stated, his stare encompassing both Jr. and Shion. "She deserves time away from two people she thought she could trust, but who managed to deceive her in a way none of us would have thought possible." He reached out to end the transmission.

Lower lip quivering, Shion tried to comfort Ayame, who was having none of it. Seeing Jr. was still fuming, she simply left the bridge and headed for the lounge. Finally realizing he'd been deserted, Jr. swore heavily and hurried off to find his wife and daughter.

The lounge fell silent when he entered it, everyone sensing the mood he was in from the conversation with Juli and Ziggy. Shion was seated over by Allen and Shelley, and Ayame was fussing loudly in her arms. Jr. made his way over to the table and slid into the booth by Shion. "Is she okay?" he asked shortly, lifting a hand to place it on Ayame's head. She started to fuss more insistently the instant he touched her.

"Jr., she's picking up on how you're feeling, and it's upsetting her even more," Shion said, sounding annoyed. "You're not helping."

"Well, Jesus, how the hell do you expect me to feel, Shion?" he snapped at her. "I just got read the damn riot act, and it's pissing me off. I didn't need to deal with the holier-than-thou parent act they gave us!"

"They had every right to say what they did," she hissed back. "You're just angry because it was me that MOMO concentrated on, with good reason, but Juli and Ziggy didn't let you off the hook. You're nearly as guilty as I am, Jr."

Wishing to calm the atmosphere somewhat for Ayame's sake, Shelley jumped in with words of her own. "If we are to be honest, we are all at fault here. We knew of what was going on, and not one of us did much about it. We talked a great deal, but we still allowed it to happen. We helped to conceal the secret from MOMO in different ways. However, fighting over blame is not helping to calm Ayame down. Let us all take a moment to relax for her sake, please."

Shion lowered her head to kiss Ayame's forehead, but Ayame refused to be soothed. "I know, sweetie," she whispered. "It's been a rough day for you, hasn't it? Shhh…" She began to rock Ayame in her arms gently.

"So, I guess Shion told you what was going on then?" Jr. asked sullenly. He knew how he was coming across, but the conversation with Juli and Ziggy had left him in an extremely bad mood. He didn't feel like trying to adjust his attitude at the moment.

Allen nodded, seeming a little wary because of Jr.'s mood. "Yeah, she told us what happened. I think it was good that you told MOMO, though. She really needed to know the truth." He wasn't sure how that comment would be taken, but when he considered that MOMO had been led to believe he was Ayame's father, he felt it needed to be said.

Jr. bit out, "Yeah, easy for you to say. You're not dealing with the damn fallout, are you?" He glared at Allen.

Shion made an impatient sound. "You were the one who insisted we needed to tell her, in case you don't recall! Did you think nothing would come of it, Jr.? Now stop acting like a spoiled child because Juli and Ziggy placed blame on you as well!"

He got to his feet, his blue eyes flashing. "Since my attitude is bothering you so freakin' much, I'll leave!" He turned on his heel and stormed out of the lounge without a backward glance.

Ayame's emerald green eyes filled with tears, and her mouth opened wide in another wail. Shion cuddled her close. "I know you're upset because Daddy left, sweetie, but it's better that he go if he's going to insist on acting like that."

"Does he not believe that he is at all at fault, Shion?" Shelley questioned, her purple eyes wide. Although she believed that the bulk of the blame rested upon Shion, which Shion had freely admitted to when she'd told them of what had happened, she didn't think the Little Master was blameless in the matter. While he'd told MOMO of certain things, the fact remained that he'd allowed MOMO to continue believing Shion had been carrying Allen's child. He'd also kept the relationship he and Shion had a secret from MOMO. She said as much to Shion.

"The problem is that MOMO focused on me, Shelley. She had every reason to, and I accept that, but Jr. didn't have to deal with her blaming him like she did me. Juli and Ziggy placed equal blame on the both of us." Shion sighed, and Ayame's wailing settled into deep, heaving breaths.

Allen pondered saying anything and then decided Shion was being receptive enough to listen. "Just because Jr. told MOMO some things doesn't absolve him of blame, Shion. You both kept the lie going in the end."

"Yes, we did. We deserve every bit of what we got today, Allen," Shion said quietly, her eyes filling with tears. She managed to get to her feet and smiled sadly at them. "I'm not feeling very hungry right now. I'm just going to head back to the cabin. If you happen to run across Jr., since I'm sure he won't be in there, just let him know that." She turned away and left the lounge, cooing to Ayame.

Allen and Shelley looked at one another and sighed. "I know I shouldn't feel sorry for her, considering what she was letting MOMO think until now, but I do." Allen's blue eyes were sadly sympathetic.

"I think she has realized that lying to and hiding from MOMO was indeed the incorrect option to choose. She has finally accepted the responsibility that is hers to bear, Allen. Now it would appear the Little Master must do the same," she observed.

"Yeah, I'm kind of surprised at Jr.'s reaction, if you want to know the truth," he said, shaking his head. "I know he's always wanted MOMO to know the truth."

"That may be true, but I doubt he was thinking of the backlash they would receive. He has never had the ability to think much beyond the moment. He is very much a 'live in the now' type of person, Allen. Mary!" Shelley had glanced up to see her sister hovering at the table.

"Aw, I hope the Little Mastah and Shion get over what's buggin' 'em. I know they shoulda told MOMO before now, but I still hate to see 'em draggin' around the way they are. Of course it's a darn good thing that MOMO ain't thinkin' Ayame is Allen's no more, since she'd have been for a rude awakenin' when she finally saw her," Mary pointed out after she'd sat down beside her sister.

"You mean like you apparently thought she was until you laid eyes upon her?" Shelley said dryly. Allen's eyes shot to Mary in shock, but he stayed silent.

"Yeah, yeah, Shelley. Can't blame me for thinkin' it since it ain't like the Little Mastah had managed to do that before. I ain't thinkin' it now, so that's all that matters, right?" Mary said airily, waving a hand. Allen and Shelley both rolled their eyes, and Mary shrugged it off with a laugh.

Later on that night, Shion was trying to convince Ayame that it was bedtime, but Ayame was far too cranky to listen. Jr. strolled into the room and made his way toward them both. He dropped a kiss on Ayame's forehead and said quietly, "It's okay, little one. Daddy's back, so why don't you listen to Mommy?" He brushed his thumb against her cheek and then moved away to grab a pair of boxers and disappear into the bathroom.

Shion was well-aware that Jr. hadn't said a word to her, but she set that aside for the time being to concentrate on her daughter. It took a little while longer, but now that she knew Daddy had come into the room, Ayame seemed more inclined toward sleep. Shion heard Jr. return and the bed creak as he climbed into it. She shook her head but smiled to herself when she felt Ayame finally slump against her, losing the battle she'd been fighting. She stood up carefully and headed toward Ayame's crib. "Sweet dreams, sweetie," she whispered after she'd put her down, resting her hand in a brief caress on Ayame's back. She turned toward the bed and narrowed her eyes. "You had better not be asleep, Jr.," she muttered.

She took her nightgown from the shelf, hurried into the bathroom to change, and quickly made her way back toward the bed. She slipped into it and immediately felt Jr. tense. "Fine, if that's how you want to be, then I'll let you sleep alone," she hissed angrily. She got out of the bed and took the bed Shelley had occupied before moving out. Tears came to her eyes, but she swiped at them furiously. "Don't you dare cry, Shion Kukai!" she ordered herself, pulling the sheets up and turning onto her side. It wasn't long before she felt the bed shift under Jr.'s weight.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he said softly, leaning his forehead against her back.

She shut her eyes tightly so the tears wouldn't overflow. "Why, Jr.? That's all I want to know."

He didn't pretend to misunderstand her. "I know I acted like a total ass after that conversation, and I wish to hell I could take it back now. I just wasn't expecting it to end up making me feel the way it did."

She turned to him, and she saw he was wearing a pained expression. "It's because of Ziggy, isn't it?" she asked quietly.

He heaved a sigh. "Yeah, that'd be it. See, in the year that we were all busy doing our own thing, he and I ended up becoming good friends. Not that we weren't friends before that, but we got to where we trusted and respected each other from working together so much. When he said I'd lost his respect, it hurt a whole helluva lot, sweetheart. It's why I reacted so damn badly." Tears rose, unbidden, to his eyes, and he bit his lip but didn't try to hide his feelings from her.

"And that's my fault," she whispered painfully. "It's because I couldn't stop being a coward, Jr. I'm so sorry for that." She laid a hand against his cheek, unable to check her tears as they finally fell freely.

"No, Shion. It's not just you, and I don't want you thinking that. I'm as much at fault here. I could have told MOMO the truth even without your permission, but I didn't. I chose to keep the secret, and that makes me just as damn guilty. I lost the old man's respect all on my own, sweetheart." He pulled her close, and she tucked her head beneath his chin as she curled up against him. "As much as this day has sucked, we need to get some sleep. You know our little one will be up in a few hours, and we need to be there for her. We'll talk more in the morning, okay?" She nodded under his chin. "I love you, sweetheart, and I'm damn sorry for how I treated you in the lounge."

She pressed a kiss to his chest, and his arms tightened around her. "You're forgiven now that I know what was wrong. I love you, too," she said in return, her voice slightly muffled from his embrace.

He soon felt her relax in his arms, but he remained awake for a while, lost in thought. _She might not want to hear it yet, but I know we're going to have to move on from this. We can't live our lives wondering if we're going to be forgiven or not. It's up to MOMO now, and that's something we've got to accept. Plus we've got whatever the hell is trailing after us to worry about, too. Damn, with all this drama today, I didn't check in with Matthews about it. I'd better do that first thing tomorrow. _With that final thought, he fell asleep, Shion's warm body a solid reminder of the things that were most important to him.


	29. A Little Action Never Hurt Anyone

**Author's note – **Wow, I didn't think I was ever finishing this chapter! -wipes sweat off brow- Seriously, this chapter took me a while to get through. I hope it was worth the wait. I'm going to be honest and say this chapter is probably my biggest yet. Rather than trying to figure out where to split it, I simply left it. I hope I don't cause any of my readers to fall over from exhaustion when they finish…

Shion awoke, feeling slightly disoriented. She was on the wrong side of the cabin and also facing the incorrect direction. She had just remembered why that was when she felt Jr.'s mouth upon her neck, kissing it softly. "I think our little one is starting to stir," he murmured. There were soft sounds coming from the crib, but it was apparent from those same sounds that Ayame was caught somewhere between sleep and waking. Taking the few minutes that remained until she left her dreamworld completely, Shion turned in Jr.'s arms and nestled into his embrace. He tightened his arms about her waist and kissed her gently. "No thinking about yesterday," he told her quietly, reading her like a book. "Let's just enjoy each other's company until Aya realizes she's in need of Mommy."

She looked up at him with a smile. "So you've decided to give her somewhat of a nickname?"

He looked confused for a minute and then seemed to grasp what she meant. "I wasn't even looking to do that," he said with a grin. "It just sort of…happened."

She pressed her mouth against his. "I think it's very sweet that she has Daddy coming up with cute, little names for her." She rested her head against his shoulder while he held her against his side. "Jr., I can't help but think about yesterday," she said with a sigh. "If I'd only been up front and honest with MOMO from the beginning, this never would have happened. I know she would have been hurt either way, but I could have at least saved you from losing Ziggy's respect."

He brought his finger to her mouth. "Sweetheart, we aren't going to change what went down by talking about what we should have done. The fact is, we didn't. You can't lock yourself into that frame of mind." When she started to protest, he dipped his head to capture her mouth in a lingering kiss. "Did that convince you?" he asked huskily when they'd parted.

Before she could answer, Ayame made it plain that she'd discovered she was awake and hungry with a loud wail. Shion pulled out of Jr.'s arms and quickly hurried to Ayame's crib. She leaned in to pick her daughter up gently and cradle her. "Mommy's here, sweetie." She made her way toward the sofa so she could placate Ayame, not wishing for her to awaken the Elsa crew in the next cabin again.

_Rubedo, is there a reason you're still awake? It's not as if you can assist in feeding the new arrival. Why not leave the princess to her motherly duties while you find oblivion in sleep? _Albedo's voice sounded somewhat sleepy, and that was unusual.

"Ayame is my daughter, too, Albedo. Just because I can't help when it comes to feeding her right now doesn't mean I'll just leave Shion to do it all. How come you sound so tired, anyway?" Jr. asked with a lifted eyebrow.

_Do you find it so impossible to believe that I'm having trouble sleeping since she arrived? She's quite loud for such a small thing_, Albedo pointed out with a yawn. When Jr. laughed quietly, he made an irritated noise. _I do not find one bit of humor in my lack of sleep as of late, Rubedo. It's__ so__ very comforting to know that you do. _Without another word, his consciousness withdrew, although he left behind a lingering feeling of aggravation.

Shrugging, Jr. left the comfort of the bed so he could stand behind Shion as she fed Ayame. He always remained awake while his wife and daughter were up during the night, as he'd tried to tell Albedo, preferring to turn the time into somewhat of a family moment. "You'd never know she's my daughter with how much she eats," he joked.

Shion laughed quietly. "Of course not. I have no idea where she got this healthy appetite of hers from."

She shifted Ayame to her other side, and Jr. laid a gentle hand upon his daughter's head. Once Ayame had finished feeding and was growing sleepy again, he took her from Shion to change her quickly and slip her into new pajamas. He returned her to her crib reluctantly and stroked her back, feeling a sigh ripple through her as she fell into a contented slumber. "I love you, little one," he whispered before turning to face Shion. He slipped his arms around her waist to draw her close. "Ready to get back to bed, sweetheart?"

She nodded, a sleepy smile on her face. "Could we go back to our bed, though, so I'm not all mixed-up in the morning?" He nodded, grinning, and led her toward their bed. She snuggled into his embrace, and it wasn't long before they joined their daughter in sleep.

In the normal hours of the morning, after Ayame had been fed, bathed and changed and Jr. and Shion had showered and dressed, they were preparing to go their separate ways for a bit. Jr. leaned down and kissed a fussing Ayame on the forehead. "I won't be gone long, little one. I just have to talk some stuff over with Captain Matthews, and then I'll be in to join you and Mommy." His gaze met Shion's, and he kissed her softly. "I'll see you in a little while. If she gets too fussy, you know you can bring her to the bridge. I think I made her nervous because of the time I was gone last night."

"You've never been gone that long before. I understand why you were," she said, bringing him to a halt by lifting her hand, "but Ayame wouldn't. She just knew Daddy wasn't there when Mommy was trying to put her to sleep. I was silly to even try when I look back on it."

He caressed Ayame's cheek softly. "Daddy will find a way to make it up to you. He was being selfish last night, and he's sorry. Now how about you and Mommy head off to the lounge so that Mommy can have some breakfast?" He sent them both off with a kiss at the door and then made his way toward the bridge.

In the lounge, Shion took a seat by Allen and Shelley, and Shelley offered to take Ayame so Shion could eat. Shion sighed. "I'll let you try, Shelley, but I doubt she's going to cooperate. She's not happy that Jr. had to head off to the bridge to talk to the Captain. He was gone for a while last night, and it really seems to have affected Ayame."

Shelley attempted to take Ayame from Shion, but Ayame's fussing became more insistent, and so she called over Mary. "She may allow Mary to hold her, Shion. She seems to have formed an attachment to her that she does not quite have to me."

Mary bounced over, grinning. "How y'all doin' this mornin'? Ah, what's up with the lil' one? She don't seem at all happy. Wanna tell Aunt Mary about it?" She reached down to take Ayame, but Ayame began to wail. "Goodness, I ain't never seen her act like that when I went to hold her. She must be real upset about somethin'." Mary's blue eyes were wide.

Shion rocked Ayame gently, and she seemed to settle down a little once she realized she was remaining in Mommy's arms. "Jr. was gone for a while last night after he stormed out of here. Ayame isn't used to that, and since I had no clue when he'd be back, I tried to put her to bed. That was a mistake on my part. Another one," she said morosely.

"Shion, ya can't keep beatin' yourself over the head for what ya done. At least ya finally up and told MOMO about it, so ya don't gotta hide no more, right?" Mary said in a comforting tone.

Shion replied quietly, "I should never have tried to hide it in the first place, Mary. I tried to justify it by saying I was protecting MOMO's feelings, but in the end, I was only protecting myself. I was afraid of what would happen, and I didn't want to face it. I was being a coward, and nothing excuses that."

"Sweetheart, you've got to stop doing that." Jr.'s voice suddenly broke in, and everyone jumped slightly. They'd all been so involved in the conversation, none of them had heard him come into the lounge. "What did I tell you before we got up with Aya early this morning? Looking back and saying that we should have done this instead of that isn't going to change a damn thing. We need to move on, because it's all up to MOMO now. Wallowing in guilt isn't going to force her to forgive us any faster, if she even plans on doing that." He sat down beside Shion and cupped her chin in his hand to kiss her softly over a now content Ayame.

As she began to protest, Shelley stepped in. "Shion, Little Master is indeed correct. Yes, what the two of you did was deceitful in regards to your friendship with MOMO; however, you did decide in the end to give her full knowledge of what had been happening. You should not allow yourself to become lost in the darkness of guilt over keeping that knowledge from her for the length of time that you did. Having become lost for a time myself, I know precisely of what I speak." Her purple eyes were steady as they fixed upon Shion.

Shion leaned back against Jr. as his arms slid around her waist. Ayame began to make soft, cooing sounds, and Shion smiled down at her tearfully. "Thanks, Shelley," she said softly, her eyes moving up to meet Shelley's. "Hearing that from you means a lot to me."

Jr. mouthed a thank you to Shelley and then said, "So, have you eaten at all, sweetheart? If not, let me take Ayame, and I'll fill you in on what I learned from Matthews, okay?" He took his daughter into his arms, and she snuggled against him as he waited for Mary to return from the kitchen with Shion's breakfast, despite her protests that she could get it herself.

Once Mary had returned and Shion had finished eating, Jr. told everyone what he'd discussed with the Elsa crew. "Whatever it is that's following us is still there, but it hasn't made any overt movements or anything. It came into sensor range once, but it was so quick that it barely registered. So we still don't know what the hell it even is. We're gonna have to play this carefully, though, because we don't know what its intentions are. We all need to be prepared for the possibility that it's not going to be friendly when it decides to initiate contact."

Allen, who'd been quietly taking everything in but not contributing, spoke up then. "You don't think it's just a possibility, do you, Jr.?"

Jr. handed Ayame to Shion, who took hold of her with a slightly frightened expression. He brought his hand to his forehead and kneaded at the space between his eyebrows. "No, I don't, Allen. If it's been trailing after us for this damn long, it can't want to play nice. Doesn't make sense. It also doesn't make a damn bit of sense that it's just been hanging back all of this time and not doing anything. Unless it's just playing with us," he muttered.

Mary jumped to her feet. "Hey, we ain't got time for worryin' here! We got people on this ship that are plenty capable of fightin' if it comes down to it! Right, Little Mastah?" She shot him a smile.

He laughed. "Yeah, we do. Except one of them is a bit occupied with motherhood," he said softly, stroking Shion's hair as she nuzzled Ayame's nose with her own. "Anyway, I don't want to worry about it until we absolutely don't have a damn choice in the matter. I just wanted you all to be aware of what was going on."

As they left the lounge, Shion pointed out, "Jr., you never had breakfast. Aren't you starving?"

He slid his arm around her waist and, aware of the fact that Allen, Shelley and Mary were within hearing distance, brought his mouth to her ear to say, "What I'm starving for is something I can't have yet, sweetheart. A few more weeks, though, and we can remedy that problem. I hope, anyway."

Her emerald eyes sparkling, she shifted Ayame close to her and answered, "We'll definitely remedy that problem for you, sir." Their mouths met in a sweet kiss to seal the promise she'd made.

Jr. pulled back at Mary's groan. "Sorry, sorry," he apologized with a laugh. "Hey, come on! It doesn't happen as much as it used to, right?"

Mary rolled her eyes and put her hands to her hips. "Don't mean ya gotta sneak those kisses in when y'all think we ain't lookin'! There's lil' eyes and ears 'round now, ya know!" She gazed pointedly at Ayame.

"And she's gonna know that Mommy and Daddy love each other," Jr. said firmly. "Doesn't mean we'll be all over each other in front of her, but I'm not about to keep from kissing Shion, either. There's not a damn thing wrong with that, Mary."

Mary huffed, "She don't need to be learnin' about the birds and the bees so dang early, Little Mastah!" When he laughed at her, she turned on her heel and headed into the elevator. Allen and Shelley weren't far behind her, hiding their smiles behind their hands.

An hour or so later, Shion was just leaning into the crib to lay Ayame down for her nap when the Elsa shifted just enough to cause her to stumble. She clutched Ayame to her and felt Jr.'s arms come around her as he cursed. "What the hell is Tony doing up there?" Suddenly, she felt him stiffen against her. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's see if we can get to the bridge because I have a bad feeling that whatever the hell's been following us is making its damn presence known."

They met Allen and Shelley along the way, and all four of them flattened themselves along the wall as the Elsa shifted again. Shion clutched Ayame to her chest, and Ayame, picking up on the tension running through the adults, began to cry. Jr. laid a hand on his daughter's head and told Allen and Shelley grimly, "You two go ahead. We'll be right behind you."

Allen shook his head. "You can't think we're going to leave you three behind! Who knows how hard the Elsa might shift the next time, Jr.? You, Shelley and I can protect Ayame and Shion as we go." Jr. nodded to him, a grateful look in his blue eyes, and they all pushed on together.

They managed to step onto the bridge just as Tony shouted an expletive and the Elsa tilted violently to the right. Jr. caught Shion in his lap as they fell, and although Ayame started wailing in fright, she seemed unhurt in Shion's arms. Allen had buffered Shelley's fall as well, and his arms were locked tightly around her waist in anticipation of a continuing need to keep her safe. Mary, who had been standing behind Tony's pilot seat, tumbled over toward the terminal Shelley sat at but raised her hand afterward to let everyone know she hadn't been hurt. "You guys all right?" Matthews shouted down to them from his seat, which was raised into the air to keep watch over what was happening outside.

Jr. glanced over everyone and nodded sharply. "Yeah, we're good so far. I take it whatever the hell's been following us stopped playing nice all of a sudden?"

Matthews returned the sharp nod. "We didn't get any kind of warning, Little Master, or we'd have let you know. They came outta nowhere and just started attacking the ship. It looks like they're trying to force us into landing by crippling her."

Jr.'s blue eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'they,' Matthews? Does that mean you've seen what it is?"

Matthews waved his arm toward the space outside. "Yeah, they ain't makin' much of an effort to hide now." There was another attack, causing the Elsa to give a terrifying shudder. Jr. tightened his arms around Shion's waist to keep everyone in his family still and safe, and he saw Allen do the same to Shelley. "The attacks are comin' a helluva lot faster and harder now, and we're not gonna have a choice but to try and set her down, Little Master. Tony, you think you can do it?"

Tony said with his usual bravado, "Yeah, you know I can! My immaculate piloting skills can take this baby anywhere we need to go, so just let me concentrate on landin' her before they take us down by force." He was quiet after that, throwing all of his focus into withstanding any further attacks as he attempted to maneuver the Elsa toward a small land mass Hammer had pointed out. Mary had returned to her position behind his seat, but she was keeping a firm grip on the back of it to ensure she wouldn't take another spill.

Jr. made sure Shion and Ayame were safely ensconced in a corner of the bridge before he got to his feet. "My bad feeling just got worse," he muttered to himself. Looking up at Matthews, he spoke in a normal tone of voice. "Where're these things attacking us from, Matthews? I need to get a damn good look at them and see if I can confirm what I'm thinking."

Although he did so reluctantly, Matthews lowered his chair and stepped off it. "You're only gonna get a good look if you use my damn chair," he said gruffly. "They're pretty damn big, so you ain't gonna miss 'em once you get up there."

Jr.'s gaze shot toward Shion, and she nodded that she and Ayame would be fine while he checked on what he needed to. With her giving him the go ahead, he quickly sat in Matthews' seat and raised it into the air. He glanced outside and swore loudly. "Dammit, I don't know how I knew it was going to be them, but I was freakin' right! It's those goddamn things that nearly killed the both of us on that planet, sweetheart!" His head swiveled at Shion's gasp, and he rushed to lower the chair so he could return to her side. "We're in some serious trouble here," he said tightly. "Tony, you think you'll be able to land her okay?"

Tony shouted back, "It's gonna be damn close, Little Master! Everyone, hold on to whatever you can because this is gonna be one helluva bumpy landing! She's losing altitude, and she's losing it fast!"

As the Elsa plunged down, Jr. placed his back against the computer terminal in front of him and urged Shion to lower her head over Ayame as he curled protectively around his wife and daughter. Allen managed to fit his back against the bottom of Matthews' chair, and it kept him in place as he held Shelley tightly. Mary had made her way over to the terminal that Shelley worked upon and was leaning against it with her arms wrapped around the chair in front of it. Matthews had hopped back in his chair and was holding on for dear life as Hammer mirrored Mary's stance at his own terminal. A few short minutes later, there was a loud screeching sound as the Elsa rammed into the surface of the land mass. The ship gave a final shudder, and then everything was still and quiet.

Tony lifted his head and rubbed at his forehead gingerly. "Damn, that'll leave a mark," he grumbled. He got to his feet, weaving slightly, and made his way toward the back of the bridge. "Hey, is everyone okay?" he asked, looking around with concern.

Mary was the first to jump to her feet, shaking her head back and forth. "I think I whacked my head a shot when we landed, but I'm peachy other than that! What 'bout the rest o' ya?"

Allen groaned and massaged the back of his head. "I think I'm seeing double right now from hitting my head on the back of the Captain's chair, but I'm okay. Shelley?" he asked, tightening his arms around her waist.

She pressed back against him with a sigh. "I am perfectly fine, Allen. I am not happy that you were hurt in your effort to protect me from harm, but there is nothing to be done about it now. Little Master, how are you, Shion and Ayame?"

Jr. uncurled from his position. "Shion, are the two of you okay? I haven't heard a sound out of Aya," he said, worry clouding his voice. A second after he'd spoken, Ayame emitted a trembling wail, and he breathed an obvious sigh of relief. "Aya's okay," he called and then fell silent briefly before asking apprehensively, "Shion?"

Shion straightened with a soft moan. "I'm fine, Jr. Thank goodness we're all safe. Shhh, I know that was scary, sweetie," she murmured to Ayame, snuggling her close. "Mommy's still got you." As she whispered to her traumatized daughter, Jr. laid a gentle hand on top of Ayame's head. Her terrified wails began to fade into snuffling sobs.

Matthews fixed his hat, which had gone a bit askew due to the crash landing. "Looks to me like whatever the hell those things are have taken off. Sure, beat the crap outta my Elsa and then disappear!" he shouted, shaking a fist. His raised voice caused Ayame to startle, and she began to cry relentlessly. He shot the Little Master and Shion an apologetic look. "Aw, I didn't mean to make her cry."

Jr. stroked Ayame's downy red hair gently. "She's already freaked out over what's been going on, so don't blame yourself, Matthews. It's okay, little one. You're safe with Mommy and Daddy." He took Ayame from Shion and pressed a kiss to his red-faced daughter's forehead. "Okay, we're going to need to come up with a plan of action. Let's all go into the lounge and discuss what we've got to do. Could someone go and get Scott and that crazy old man? I'm not worried that anything happened to them, since I know nothing short of a freakin' miracle would get rid of **him**," he said sourly. Hammer volunteered to do so, and he split off from the group at the elevator as they all headed toward the lounge.

Jr. waited somewhat impatiently for Hammer to return with the Professor and Scott before he started talking about what had to be done. While he waited, he and Shion tried to calm their daughter down, who appeared to have reached her limit of traumatic experiences. Her wailing had become thin and keening, but there seemed to be no end to it in sight. "Sweetheart, do you think maybe she's hungry as well as scared?" he asked, before placing a finger against Ayame's mouth. His eyes widened as she sucked the finger in and gummed it painfully before releasing it with a furious wail. "She's hungry, trust me," he told Shion.

She was about to get to her feet when Matthews held up a hand. "You ain't goin' off by yourself, that's for damn sure. We'll all just avert our eyes while you feed her. Everybody sticks together until we figure out what the hell we're doing. Right, Little Master?"

Jr. nodded firmly. "Yeah. Who knows if the damn things will be back? I want you where I can see you, sweetheart."

Shion's face turned pink, and she whispered in Jr.'s ear, "Is it okay if I go to a separate table, though? I'll feel funny if I feed her right in front of everyone." She hurried over to a back table and sat down to feed Ayame just as a bored-looking Professor and Scott entered the lounge, followed by Hammer.

"Okay, now that we're all together, we really need to talk about what we're going to do," Jr. stated. "Our number one concern is to repair the Elsa so we can get going on the journey to Lost Jerusalem again." He glanced back toward Shion, who had her head bent as she murmured to Ayame while she was feeding. "I've got a serious problem with these things attacking us, though, and I think something needs to be done so they can't come after us again." He watched Shion's head shoot up in shock.

Allen, who had his arm around Shelley's waist as she leaned against him tiredly, met Jr.'s gaze when it left Shion to return to everyone else. "You're talking about going after these things and getting rid of them for good, aren't you?"

Jr.'s eyes blazed. "Damn right that's what I'm talking about, Allen! These goddamn things have endangered my family twice now, and they sure as hell aren't getting a third chance at it if I can help it! So that means I'm going to have one team stay here to work on repairing the Elsa, which is going to take a few days at least, and another team that heads off with me to hunt them down."

Shion said quietly, "I don't really think that's a wise decision, Jr." Her voice sounded calm enough, but when he looked at her, her emerald green eyes were narrowed.

"Shion, if we get the Elsa repaired and they come after us again, we might not be lucky enough to have someplace to land the ship like we did here." Jr.'s voice was calm as well, but it was obvious to all in the lounge that there was a battle of wills taking place.

"You don't even know if it's safe to set foot outside the Elsa right now! You do know, though, that those things are extremely strong and fast. Jr., they almost killed us when we fought them!" The calmness was quickly leaving Shion's voice as she continued to speak.

"I know that, sweetheart, and that's why I'm not letting it be! I have too much to protect! Hammer can tell us if the air is breathable or not, and, if it is, I have to go out there. You may not want to admit it right now, but you know that for a fact." Jr. had gotten up from his seat to make his way over to the table that she was at. He sat beside her, and she dropped her head to his shoulder as she shifted Ayame in her arms.

"Then I want you to promise me that you'll come back," she said softly. "I understand why you have to go now, but before you do, I need that promise from you. I don't want to lose my husband, and Ayame doesn't want to lose her daddy."

He shifted so that she had to remove her head from his shoulder and then took hold of her chin. "I swear to you, sweetheart, that I'll come back to both of you. There is nothing that could keep me from you. I love you both far too damn much." He captured her mouth with his in a fervent kiss, and, considering the current circumstances, no one thought to voice a complaint. After they'd broken apart, he leaned down to nuzzle Ayame's nose. "Daddy swears the same thing to you, little one. You're my little miracle, and I plan on being around to watch you grow." Ayame cooed up at him, and he grinned.

Matthews said gruffly, "So, if ya get the go-ahead from Hammer, who're ya taking along? We might as well get everything figured out here, since it's easier that way."

Jr. turned back to everyone else. "Seeing how we're talking again, Mary's definitely going with me. I trust her to back me up and always have." Mary gave him a thumbs-up sign, and he chuckled. "As for the other person I'd be taking…" His eyes met Allen's, and Allen looked comically startled at being the focus of Jr.'s attention. "How about it, Allen? You willing to go with me and take down these things to protect Shelley?"

Allen pointed to himself, his mouth opening and closing a few times but no sound emerging from it. Finally, he seemed to recover his speech capabilities. "Why would you want me to go, Jr.? Not that I'm saying no or anything, so don't think that. I'm just…in a ton of shock right now, I think."

"Because I trust you, too," Jr. said simply. "You nearly got yourself freakin' killed standing up to me, Jin, and…Kevin." He paused for a few seconds after he'd said the name and then managed to continue. "You protected Shelley on the bridge just before. I want you at my back, Allen."

Allen nodded, a slow grin covering his face. He'd never thought the day would come that Jr. might actually think of him as a trusted ally rather than someone to tease and poke fun at. It made his chest swell a little to know that he'd somehow managed to break down that barrier. "You got it, Jr. No, hold on a minute." He turned to Shelley and took her hands in his. "Are you okay with this, Shelley? I don't want to just say yes without hearing your opinion."

Shelley glanced toward Shion, who had laid her head upon the Little Master's shoulder again. Ayame cooed happily, obviously content due to the presence of both her parents. "Allen, my stance is that of Shion's. I am not particularly happy that any of you need go out to take care of this threat, but I understand why you feel you must. I ask that you promise me that you will look after both the Little Master and Mary, because neither of them can be trusted to remain levelheaded at all times." The Little Master and Mary both shot her raised eyebrows, but she ignored them. "I will not ask you for a promise to return, and that is simply because I am certain that you will."

Allen said quietly, "Of course I'll keep an eye on both of them, and I'll make sure we all return safely. That I promise you." Not caring if anyone had anything to say, he kissed Shelley softly. Her arms slid around his neck to draw him near, and when they pulled away from each other, they gazed into each other's eyes for a minute afterward. Finally glancing around, he saw they were getting joking looks from Jr., Mary and Tony. "Yeah, well, get all your digs in now, because you won't get another chance to," he said with a laugh.

Jr. stood up, and Shion got to her feet as well. "Shelley, are you willing to go with Shion to our cabin? She needs to change Ayame and put her in another outfit, and I want somebody with her to keep them both safe." Shelley nodded, and she and Shion disappeared from the lounge. "Hammer, you and Tony head back to the bridge and see if you're able to get a reading on the atmosphere with how beat to hell the Elsa is right now. Matthews, why don't you go with them? I'm going to head downstairs with Allen and Mary so that they can grab whatever weapons they're going to take."

The Professor held up a hand for silence. "Now that you've stopped talking for a minute, sonny, how about you give me your attention long enough for me to say what I've got to say?" Jr. shot him a glare but didn't prevent him from continuing on. "If you were the only one going out, I doubt I'd even be making you aware of this. Since you're taking Assistant #2 and the blond girl with you, I'll let you know what we've been working on for quite a while. I don't have any issues about keeping them safe," he said with a chuckle, and Jr. folded his arms across his chest.

"Are you going to say anything meaningful any time soon, old man? You're getting on my nerves even more than usual," Jr. growled.

"Anything I say is far more meaningful than anything you've said so far, but everyone here was already aware of that." Although the Professor was enjoying seeing The Arrogant One grow red with impatient fury, he decided it was best to say what he needed to. "You see, my assistants and I have been working on combat suits. They're almost identical to those old A.G.W.S. units, but they're far more efficient. Of course they would be, since they are my design!" He bent at the middle, laughing, as Scott shook his head and shrugged apologetically at the Little Master.

"If you think I'm setting foot in something you had a hand in creating, old man, you're even crazier than I thought," Jr. said flatly. "I promised Shion I'd come back alive, and that sure as hell won't be happening if I do that."

Allen spoke up. "Jr., it wasn't just the Professor that worked on the combat suits. Scott, Shelley, Shion and I all did our part, too. If you can't trust in the Professor, then trust in us."

Jr. grumbled a bit, but he ended up nodding. "Okay, I'll give them a try then. Where the hell are these so much more efficient combat suits, anyway?" He directed the question at the Professor with a smirk.

"Well, you're headed downstairs, aren't you?" the Professor snapped. "You can see them once you get down there. Let's get going, Assistant Scott." He made his way out of the lounge, followed by a sighing Scott.

Allen, Jr. and Mary ran into Shelley and Shion on their way to the elevator. Ayame was quiet in Shion's arms, and Jr. looked at her with concern. Shion shook her head and laughed quietly. "She's just asleep, so no need to look so worried. I picked her up, and when I looked down, she was slumped against me. Where are the three of you headed now?" Once Jr. had told her, she and Shelley decided upon going down with them.

Not wanting to deal with the Professor again so soon, Jr. bypassed the workroom with a terse, "We'll be back in a few minutes." He led everyone down the stairs into the old E.S. hangar. "We've got some weapons stored down here. Mary, you check around and grab what you think you'll be comfortable with." He leaned over a chest and threw open the lid, nodding when he saw what was inside. "That's what I was looking for."

Allen grunted when Jr. tossed him the automatic rifle Matthews had used when Voyager had invaded the Elsa. "What's this for?" he asked, his blue eyes wide.

"There is no way in hell you're using that crossbow you used before, Allen. I need you on your feet, not on your ass." Jr. turned to face him fully, arms folded across his chest and his eyebrows lifted.

Allen retorted, "If you thought I was using that death trap again, you were wrong. I figured you guys gave it to me because you were taking bets on how many times I'd be flat on my butt after shooting it!" He and Jr. grinned at each other, and he shouldered the rifle after checking it over.

Mary drifted over to where everyone was standing and shook her head. "There ain't nothin' here that I feel comfortable usin', Little Mastah. Well, I could use those big, ol' rifles, but can't I just borrow a gun or two from ya?" A wheedling note had entered her voice, and Jr. turned his lifted eyebrows to her.

"Look, if I had more than the very few I've got on me, I'd be fine with lending you a gun or two. I kinda didn't get a chance to grab much from my collection, though. I really would have loved to take the Makarovs with me. Damn, those were fine guns," he mourned. "And they were the ones Gaignun got for me, too…"

Shion moved, letting him know she was near him. He slid an arm around her waist silently and checked upon his sleeping daughter, who appeared lost in her own peaceful dreams. Shion focused on Mary. "Mary, do you think you'll be okay with one of the rifles then?"

"Yeah, I'll be okay usin' it. We gotta still find out about those combat suits, right? Shelley, why don't ya go and grab the Professor so we know what we gotta do with 'em?" Mary nudged her sister, who sighed heavily but hurried off to do as requested.

It didn't take her long to return with the Professor and Scott in tow. The Professor tossed something at Jr., who caught it deftly. "You'll need to call them, just like you did with the A.G.W.S. and the E.S.s. So give it a try, sonny," he cackled.

Jr. pressed the button on the transfer device the Professor had given him warily. A red combat suit appeared seconds later, and he looked impressed. "Doesn't look half-bad, surprisingly. Then again, it's not like you were the only one working on it," he noted swiftly. "What about weapons for them?"

The Professor shrugged. "That one only has the ability to use guns, so I figure you'll be taking that," he said with a dismissive wave. "The others have the ability to use swords or guns, and the ones made with the girls in mind are able to call upon ether skills."

"How the hell many did you create?" Jr. demanded to know.

"One for you, though that wasn't my choice. The girly convinced me that I wouldn't like the results if you were neglected, so there you are. One for Assistant #2, although he didn't know it was his at the time. Of course Assistant Lavender received one, and her sister, too. And the girly has one, though I doubt she'll be using it any time soon." The Professor and Scott gave the others their transfer devices.

Allen's combat suit was a deep forest green, and his shoulders slumped at the sight of it. "I don't think I'm ever escaping that color," he sighed.

Mary's was a deep blue, and she brought a finger to her cheek as she looked over it. "Feels weird to be usin' one that ain't pink," she observed. "But since I really like blue and all, I ain't got a problem with it!"

Shelley's was a very pretty lavender, and she laughed softly when it appeared. "I cannot say I dislike the color. I do not know how often I will use it, but the thought is very much appreciated, Professor." She gave him a smile.

"That means the dust will be mounting on it, just as it's been mounting in the workroom ever since the girly went on leave to have the baby girly. She was quite the cleaner not long before she had her. Everything was sparkling when she was done," he said, his eyes misty with the memory.

Jr. had to laugh, because he recalled those days clearly. "Yeah, Shion was constantly cleaning and dusting for the few weeks before she had Aya. Matthews was getting annoyed because she wouldn't leave the bridge alone. He said the dust gave it character. And I learned pretty damn quick not to throw clothes on the floor or anything after she'd cleaned the cabin. Things got rough if I did," he said with a mock shudder.

Shion gave him a narrow-eyed look. "You're exaggerating, Jr. I only wanted the cabin to stay clean, and you tend to just throw things and leave them wherever they land," she said with a sniff. He chuckled but didn't deny the accusation. Shion shifted Ayame slightly to call her combat suit, and her eyes widened when it appeared. "It's aquamarine," she said wonderingly, "just like the M.W.S. Miyuki made for me. Why did you choose that color, Professor?"

"For that very reason you stated, girly! I remember you dragging that thing along when the two of you returned that day, and I thought it was a color you liked. If not, you're stuck with it now!" He threw his head back and laughed, and Ayame snuggled deeper into her blanket to block out the sound.

"All right, so they look trustworthy," Jr. said after they had all recalled the combat suits. "It looks like it's time to get back up to the bridge and find out what Hammer can tell us."

The group made their way out of the hangar, but the Professor and Scott headed back into their workroom when they passed it. "We'll be up in a few minutes to discuss what to do about the Elsa with the others," the Professor said. "Now that you have what we've worked so hard on, try to take care of them, won't you?" A pointed glance was aimed at Jr., and he rolled his eyes and directed Shion to keep going as he followed her.

When they arrived at the bridge, Hammer turned to tell them about his reading. "Looks like you'll be okay out there, Little Master. The air is breathable, anyway. I couldn't get much more than that, unfortunately."

Jr. gave a terse nod. "Okay, then that means we're going to need to get moving. Allen, you're ready, right?" Allen nodded silently. Jr. addressed Mary. "You sure you'll be okay with that rifle, Mary?"

Before she could say anything, Tony jumped out of the pilot seat. "Whoa, hold on a minute! I've got something I know you'll be a helluva lot more comfortable with, Mary." He handed her a pair of guns, the ones he'd used when trying to keep Voyager distracted when he'd attempted to steal KOS-MOS. She took them without a word, her blue eyes wide. "I ain't happy that you're going out there, but maybe if you take these, it'll feel like I'm there with you," he said quietly. "It'll make me feel like I'm protecting you, even though I can't be there with you physically."

Mary stowed the ebony and ivory guns away and moved closer to him. "I promise ya I'll take good care o' 'em," she said just as softly. "And I'll be sure to bring 'em back to ya." She lifted a hand to place against his cheek with a small smile.

Shelley glanced at Allen, her left eyebrow raised. "Does there appear to be a 'more than friends' current running between them, or am I merely reading more than what is there?"

Allen slid his arms around her waist, knowing it was nearly time to say goodbye. "No, you're seeing things just right," he said with a chuckle. "For some weird reason, I always thought those guns were Jr.'s, though." His look was confused.

Jr. overheard his comment and spun to him. "Nah, those ones are Tony's. I've loaned him guns before, but those are like his pride and joy. He'd never let me go near them," he said with a slightly jealous look in Mary's direction.

Allen's attention returned to Shelley. "Hopefully, we won't be gone long. We'll find these things and do what we have to." He gave her a soft kiss, and when he pulled back, he saw her purple eyes were suspiciously damp. "Please don't cry," he begged. "I can't leave you like that."

She swiped at her eyes quickly and shook her head. "I will be fine, Allen. It is only because I am proud of you, and also because I am happy that the Little Master is finally seeing you in a light that you deserve. Please be sure to bring the communicators, so you are able to contact us and apprise us of whatever situations you encounter. I will be here, awaiting your return." She rested her head against his shoulder for the few minutes left before he was to leave her.

Jr. cupped Shion's chin in his hand. "I'll see you soon, sweetheart. We're going to take care of these damn things, and I'll be back to hold you in my arms before you know it." Being careful of his sleeping daughter, he brought his mouth to Shion's in a lingering kiss that spoke eloquently of how much he loved her. When he pulled away, he heard a soft, snuffling noise, and he looked down with a smile to see Ayame's emerald eyes blinking up at him owlishly. "Hey there, little one," he whispered. "I know you're going to be upset with me, but I have to go for a little while." He saw her lower lip begin to quiver as though she understood his words, and his heart clenched. "I'm going because I need to protect you and Mommy from something dangerous. I swear to you that I'll be back soon. Be good for Mommy while I'm gone, okay?" He bent to kiss her on the forehead, and her mouth opened wide in a wail.

Shion said quietly, "She'll be okay, Jr. She just doesn't understand is all." Her voice rose to its normal pitch. "While Shelley and I were in the cabin with Ayame before, we managed to put together a sort of backpack for you. We gave you a few blankets, and you can rip them up for extra material if anything happens like it did last time. All three of you know healing ethers, so you can help one another out with any…minor injuries you might end up with." She closed her eyes briefly, and Jr. slid his arm around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. She leaned against him and said softly, "Now the three of you had better go, so you can hurry back to us. Make sure to grab the backpack before you leave, Jr."

It was with heavy hearts that the group of three stepped through the cargo door of the Elsa. Allen hesitantly laid a hand on Jr.'s shoulder. "It's got to be hard to leave Shion and Ayame," he said, his tone gentle.

Jr. heaved a sigh. "Yeah, I think it's the toughest damn thing I've ever had to do. Now, let's get going so we can take care of this and get back to what matters most to each of us." He shot Allen a grateful look and then moved away, leaving Allen and Mary to follow after him.

They hadn't been moving for long before Allen brought up the combat suits. "Do you think it might be wiser to use those for now? You said these things ambushed you and Shion that time, Jr. If we're in those, we'll be better protected, anyway."

Jr. made a face but shrugged. "I'm not real happy about using things that crazy old man helped to make, but you're right, Allen. We'll get a better layout of the land that way, too."

They all called upon the combat suits and boarded them quickly. Mary shifted in her seat after she'd sat down. "Wow, it feels like ages since I been in somethin' like this! Takes a bit of gettin' used to. How y'all doin' in yours?"

Allen's fingers were busy roaming over the controls, making sure everything was working properly in his. Since they hadn't a chance to test the combat suits out after they'd finished them, he was slightly leery and wanted to confirm there were no issues. "Everything checks out over here," he told Jr. and Mary over the communication line. "I wanted to be sure. What about you, Jr.?"

Jr. was intent on doing what Allen had just done and didn't answer right away. Although he knew Allen, Scott, Shelley and Shion had been involved in creating the combat suits, the fact that the Professor had had anything to do with them brought out an instinctive distrust in what he was seated in. Grudgingly admitting that everything seemed to be in working order, he replied, "It all looks good. Ready to push on, you two?"

All was quiet for a time, and Mary asked, "Do ya think they maybe moved on, Little Mastah? Don't ya think we woulda found 'em after all the time we been out here?"

Jr. had no chance to answer, because at that exact moment, a dark form appeared behind Mary's combat suit. "Mary, look out!" he shouted, slamming a fist down on the radar screen in his combat suit that had failed to register anything in the area. His warning came too late, as the creature made a flurry of attacks on Mary's combat suit. When they ended, the blue unit was lying, crippled, on the ground. "Jesus, are you all right, Mary?!" Jr. cried as Allen closed in with his combat suit.

"Jr., we've got to get rid of this thing first! If we don't, Mary doesn't stand a chance at all! Come on!" The authority in Allen's voice caused Jr. to focus on what he had to do, and he and Allen faced off against the creature. Allen switched back and forth between the combat suit's guns and swords, making attacks with the swords when the creature was distracted enough by Jr.'s long range attacks to allow him to get close to it. Jr. kept retreating as he used the Gatling guns to attack, trying to lure it into focusing completely on him so that Allen had the advantage. He swore soundly as it rushed at him, fearing he'd be lying on the ground next to Mary momentarily. His blue eyes widened as it fell, lifeless, a few feet from him.

"I know I worked on these, but I guess I didn't realize just how efficient they were," Allen said, shock evident in his tone. He'd managed to cut down the creature with a well-placed sword attack as it had advanced on Jr. "Especially when you think about the fact that I'm not exactly proficient at using one of them," he added weakly.

"I don't give a damn about your proficiency," Jr. said, his relief obvious. "You probably saved my life, Allen. Now, we need to check on Mary!" He cut off the communication, and Allen watched him jump out. Allen wasn't far behind when they reached Mary's fallen combat suit.

Jr. and Allen managed to pull Mary from the crippled unit. Her blue eyes fluttered, and she stared up at them. "Wow, I guess that was one of those things, huh? Wasn't expectin' it to be **that **quick. That was stupid o' me after what ya told us, Little Mastah," she berated herself.

"There's plenty of time to worry about that after we make sure you're okay, Mary," Jr. told her. "Can you stand up?" He and Allen helped her get to her feet, and she walked around a bit.

"Yeah, I'm good. I think I just got a lil' stunned when the suit tipped over and fell. I mighta hit my head, but I didn't hit it hard or nothin'. Now what are we gonna do, though? I ain't gonna be able to use that no more," she sighed. She was able to recall the combat suit, and she tucked the transfer device away.

"We're going to have to continue on foot then," Jr. decided. "The combat suits can only seat one, and we can't leave Mary to walk while we use ours. We'll need to keep our eyes open, since now you both know just how damn fast these things are to attack. That one never even registered on the radar." Once he and Allen had recalled their combat suits, they all set off again.

---

While Jr.'s group was busy searching down more of the creatures to eliminate them, Shion was dealing with a furious Ayame. She'd wailed irately for some time after Jr. had left the bridge with Allen and Mary, and now she was simply refusing to eat. Shion didn't want to force her, because she knew it would make Ayame even angrier if she tried to do so. She rocked her gently in her arms as Shelley came into the cabin. "Is she doing at all better than she was, Shion?"

Shion shook her head. "No. She won't nurse, Shelley, and I don't want to try to force her because she'll get even more upset. I know it's because she's missing Jr., and it's worse because of the fact that he was gone for all that time last night. Oh, sweetie, I swear Daddy will be back soon," she whispered, bending her head and nuzzling Ayame's nose.

Shelley came over to stand beside Shion. "I do believe she has inherited both your and the Little Master's stubborn streaks," she said, but the teasing note in her voice made it clear she didn't find it to be disagreeable. "When he returns, he may find his daughter is very angry with him for what she sees as deserting her yet again. He **will **return, Shion, because Allen will make certain of it." She'd seen the flash of fear in Shion's eyes, and she spoke what she believed to be the truth. She had no doubt that Allen would do all that was in his power to ensure everyone's safe return.

"I'm just scared, Shelley. I know what those things are capable of. One held me in its grip, watching me strangle with what almost looked like glee. Two nearly killed Jr. If it hadn't been for his Red Dragon power, he **would **have died. We don't even know how many are actually here." Shion rested her forehead against Ayame's while Ayame fussed angrily in her blanket.

"Thinking about variables such as that will do you absolutely no good, Shion. We can only trust that they will find their way back to us. They are all capable of taking care of themselves, even if the Little Master and Mary can be quite impulsive. Despite that impulsiveness, they both have something that grounds them. The Little Master is both a husband and a father, and he will do as he must to come back to the both of you. Mary, although she may not wish to admit to it at this point, seems to have developed quite the fondness for Tony. Those are things that will keep them both focused." Shelley laid a hand on Shion's shoulder, and Shion smiled up at her tremulously.

"Thank you for being such a wonderful friend, Shelley. I wish Ayame was old enough to understand you, because it might help to set her mind at ease, too. Shhh, sweetie, Mommy knows how you feel," Shion murmured, beginning to rock Ayame again. She glanced up at Shelley. "How are things looking on the bridge? Does the Professor feel we can get the Elsa up and running again?"

Shelley nodded. "He is confident that it will only take a few days to do so. He did warn Captain Matthews that the exterior of the Elsa will not be fixed at this point. The Captain was very unhappy with this news, but he is aware that the most important issue is not how the Elsa looks but rather its ability to head back into space and continue the journey toward Lost Jerusalem."

Shion agreed, but it was clear that her mind was occupied with thoughts of how Jr. was faring. Shelley's mind drifted to the group that had set off, her thoughts focused heavily on Allen. She sent up a prayer for them all, hoping it would aid in their safe return.

---

"It looks like we've found them," Jr. said quietly. They'd been walking for what had begun to feel like hours, and they'd all been keeping their eyes open for any sign of movement. They'd finally stumbled upon a clearing in the woods they'd been tracking through, and an entire group of the creatures was there, resting. "We're gonna have to be damn quick about getting in there and taking them out. We'll probably only get a chance to take down one or two before the rest of them wake up, and then we'll have a fight on our hands. You sure you'll be okay with Tony's guns, Mary?"

She pulled them out and nodded shortly. "Yeah, I'll be fine, Little Mastah. Now why don't we get movin' before they wake up and swarm us?"

The three of them crept into the clearing quietly, and Jr. stood over one of the creatures, glaring down at it. "This is for putting everything I love in danger, you bastard," he growled and aimed his Vaquero at its head. He pulled the trigger, and the creature spasmed briefly before lying still as its strange, iridescent blood pooled around it. He saw Allen take aim with his automatic rifle and dispose of another before all hell seemed to break loose.

The remaining creatures, of which there were still about nine or ten, were up and moving before any of the three fighters had quite registered it. Mary grimly turned Tony's guns on one of the creatures attacking her, and there was a horrible screeching sound as it was blasted backward. She disappeared from Jr.'s view as he focused all of his concentration on the three creatures advancing on him. "Yeah, that's it. Come and get me," he taunted, setting his feet apart and aiming at the first creature. He took that one down before one of the other two reached him with its unnatural speed and flung him backward with a hard hit to the chest. He landed on his back with a pained groan.

Allen saw Jr. hit the ground, and he yelled out, "Jr., are you okay?" as he started firing on the creature nearest him. He didn't get a chance to hear Jr.'s reply because he was suddenly swept off his feet. The creature that had knocked him down leaned over him, placing a hand around his throat. Allen choked as it lifted him up, and he brought his hands up in an effort to free himself. The creature's hand tightened abruptly, causing Allen's eyes to bulge, before it dropped him and collapsed. He massaged his throat and then met Mary's eyes, thanking her silently. She'd seen Allen was in trouble and had shouted out an attacking ether that he hadn't heard, forcing the creature to release him. He finished off the creature and then cried out in warning, "Mary, behind you!" His warning came too late as one of the creatures picked her up and threw her, sending her slamming into a tree at the edge of the clearing. Two of the creatures fell upon her, their clawed hands slashing at her.

Allen's first instinct was to go to her, but Jr., who had been able to regain his footing, let out a battle cry and charged toward the creatures attacking her. That was all Allen saw before he took a hit to the side of the head that caused his vision to go fuzzy for a brief time. The creature that had hit him pushed him to the ground with a careless shove, and Allen lay there for a minute, allowing his vision to clear before he got to his feet again. He saw Jr. fighting the creatures furiously, shouting out obscenities as he did so, and then Allen watched him fold at the middle and a telltale red glow surround him. Allen, fearing that using the rifle would cause Jr. to be hit as well, stood there for a few seconds, undecided as to what to do.

Jr.'s Red Dragon power flung three of the five creatures far from him, but one of the remaining two grabbed hold of him and lifted him into the air. Jr. clawed futilely at the hand that held him, and his scream of pain was lost as the other creature took hold of his right leg and twisted it viciously. _They're playing with me__ until they get around to killing me_, he realized dimly. _Oh, Jesus, I don't want to die here! I've got Aya and Shion back at the El__sa, and I don't want to leave them when I promised I'd come back_ He heard a voice shout, "Ether Drive!" but couldn't associate who or where it had come from. He slid to the ground as the creature released him, refusing to give in to the darkness tugging at him.

Allen had used his Beam ether abilities to force the creature into letting Jr. go, and he quickly disposed of it while it was recovering from that. He was left with only one creature that was alert and fully functional, and he backed away as it turned to him, its red eyes feral. Before he could even attempt another shot, it was on him. He fell heavily to the ground, and his breath left him in a whoosh. The creature reared back, clearly intending to finish off the one it hadn't thought of as a threat when it had shoved him out of the way earlier. Allen pulled the rifle toward him that had been knocked out of his hands when the creature attacked. He lifted it enough to pepper the creature with bullets through the stomach, and it let loose an obvious sound of pain. As it moved away from him, trailing its blood behind it, he drew a deep breath and raised the rifle to aim at its head. He remembered to breathe again as its lifeless corpse collapsed before him. He eliminated the three that Jr. had weakened with his Red Dragon power and lowered the rifle to his side.

Continuing to ignore the pain in his chest that had come about because of the creature's heavy weight upon it, he made his way over to Jr., who was lying on the ground with his teeth clenched. "Jr., will you be okay while I go check on Mary?" Allen asked quickly.

Jr. shook his head. "I think my leg's broken, but I've got to go to her, too. It's my damn fault this happened, anyway," he said, his mouth twisting into a grimace.

Allen helped Jr. to his feet and they moved toward Mary, Jr. groaning as his leg dragged behind him. When they reached her, Allen hurried to set Jr. down and check over Mary. She was lying motionless, and blood covered her from nearly head to toe. "Jr., she's in really bad shape. She's still breathing, but it's real light and fluttery. I don't know strong healing ethers, but I'm hoping that what I do know will be enough to keep her from dying," Allen said, panicked worry in his blue eyes. "And you're too weak for us to combine our ethers and make them stronger." Jr. tried to protest, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him. Allen placed his hands above Mary and called upon his healing ether. A gentle light encircled her, and Allen sat back with a sigh. "I did what I could for now. We've got a problem, though. How are we all going to get back to the Elsa?"

Jr. was about to answer when his attention was drawn elsewhere. His blue eyes were riveted to an area just within the trees, and Allen followed the direction of his gaze. "Allen, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Jr. hissed.

Allen whispered back, "Yeah, I'm seeing it." There was a bright, glowing light hovering within the trees, and it seemed to be heading slowly toward them.

"Help me get up again, Allen," Jr. said quickly, and Allen rushed to do as he'd asked. Jr. leaned heavily against Allen, keeping his weight off of his broken leg. The light had drifted closer, and Allen and Jr. gasped at the same time. "Dammit, that's KOS-MOS! It's just like that being told Shion and me on that planet, Allen! You can see her face, too, can't you?"

Allen nodded, an amazed look stealing across his face. "What would KOS-MOS be doing here, though? It can't be coincidence that she's here. Not after you've said that she was on that planet, too. Do you think she's trying to protect us somehow? Maybe we should try calling out to her or something?"

The instant after they'd both shouted her name, Allen felt Jr. collapse against him before he fell to the ground without warning. "Jr., what -" He didn't need to finish his question as the reason became clear a second later. Apparently one of the creatures had been away from its group and had just returned, using its speed to knock Jr. unconscious before either of them knew it was there. Allen glanced back toward where he'd laid the rifle down and knew he'd never reach it before the creature attacked. Despite that knowledge, he began to back up in the hope that he was wrong. The creature seemed to sense his intention and rushed toward him. Closing his eyes, he brought his hands up in what he knew was a futile effort to ward off the attack but stood his ground. The attack never came, and he opened his eyes, startled. His mouth dropped open in shock as he saw that the creature had been enveloped in a glowing light similar to what was surrounding KOS-MOS. It gave a strange hiss, and then it began to disintegrate into small particles that the breeze swept away.

"KOS-MOS…" he whispered, watching as the light began to drift up and away from him. He cried out her name, but it seemed to have no effect as the light continued drifting. He lost sight of it a few seconds later. Knowing he had to put it to the back of his mind and check on Jr., he hurried to Jr.'s side and knelt by him. "Jr.?" He saw Jr. was breathing deeply and regularly, and relief poured through him. Suddenly, he recalled the communicator Shelley had reminded him of before they'd left the ship, and he pulled it out so he could let everyone on board the Elsa know what had been happening.

Shelley answered almost immediately. "Allen, we were all growing so worried because we had yet to hear from any of you! Something has happened," she stated, seeing the look on his face. "Please tell me why you look as worried as you do."

Allen was hesitant to speak to her about Mary, but he knew Shelley had every right to know. "Mary's been hurt badly, Shelley. I did what I could with my healing ethers, but I'm not really knowledgeable in that area. One of the things we fought threw her against a tree, and then they started slashing at her. I'm so sorry," he whispered and then wished he was there with her as her hands flew to her mouth in horror. "I can't tell you where we are, because I'm not really sure. I don't know how we're getting back to the Elsa right now, either, because Jr.'s unconscious and his leg's broken, too. All I can say is keep an eye out for us, because I swear I'll bring them both back. I may not have been able to keep my promise to bring them back safely, and I'm sorry for that, but I **will **bring them back."

Shelley said softly, "I know you did all that you could, Allen. I will make everyone aware of the situation, and we will keep watch for you. Now I will keep you no longer." She ended the communication, and Allen turned when he heard a groan behind him. "Jr., are you awake?"

"Jesus, I wish I wasn't right now," Jr. said through clenched teeth. "My freakin' head is killing me, and this damn leg is useless." He managed to drag himself to a tree, and he leaned back against it, staring down at his right leg furiously.

"We've got to figure out a way to get back to the Elsa," Allen said, his eyebrows knit together in consternation. "I can't carry Mary, not with the condition she's in. I'll end up doing more harm than good. And we've got to do something about your leg, Jr. Do you have any ideas?"

Jr. held up a hand. "Allen, forget about me for now. You've got to get Mary back to the Elsa. She's in a helluva lot worse shape than me, and I'll never forgive myself for asking her to come with me if she dies." Pain lanced across his face, and he brought his hands to rest on his leg.

"Jr., you're in no shape to fight if I leave you here and another one of those things shows up! You know that as well as I do!" Allen cried.

"I don't need my damn leg to shoot a gun, Allen," Jr. snapped. "I know how you can take Mary back without carrying her in your arms. I've read about it before, and you can use it in a situation like this."

"I'm not leaving you here, and that's all there is to it," Allen said stubbornly. "So you're going to tell me what to do for Mary, and then you're going to tell me what to do for you." He saw Jr.'s mouth open for a furious protest, and he slammed his hand down on the ground. "Dammit, Jr., you're wasting time arguing with me, and we don't have time to waste! We need to get Mary back to the Elsa, so you're going to cooperate with me whether you like it or not!"

Jr. looked taken aback, and then a reluctant smile crossed his face. "Damn, you do have a tough side to you. Fine, we'll do it your way. For Mary, you're going to need to create this thing called a travois. I'll help where I can, but I can't go and gather any of the supplies we'll need. It's a damn good thing Shion and Shelley thought to send those blankets with us, because we'll need them." He explained that Allen was going to need to find two long, thick branches that could withstand Mary's weight. Thankfully, it didn't take Allen long to do so, and he followed Jr.'s instructions about securing the blanket between the two branches and tying the tops of the branches together with scraps of another blanket while Jr. helped as much as he could. "Okay, now you're going to have to move Mary to put her on there. Just be careful with how much you shift her," Jr. warned.

Allen gently picked Mary up, his blue eyes sad as he realized she hadn't once regained consciousness. _Shelley's going to be devastated if she loses Mary. I've got to do all I can to keep that from happening! _He laid Mary down on the travois and turned to Jr. "What now?" he asked quietly.

Jr. replied, the tone of his voice making it clear that he knew what Allen was thinking, "You'll have to wrap long pieces of one of the blankets around her to keep her from slipping off."

Once Allen had finished, his eyes met Jr.'s. "Now tell me what I have to do for you. There's no way you're making it back to the Elsa on that leg, and you can't hold onto me and hop because that's crazy. We're too far out for that to work."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Jr. grumbled. He pointed off toward the woods again. "You'll need to find two more branches that are about the length of my leg…" His eyes narrowed suddenly. "If you can find two other long branches that look like they'll support my weight, I can turn them into crutches, which means you'll just have to worry about Mary. So, you need four branches in all." While Allen was off finding said branches, Jr. managed to pull himself over to Mary. "I never meant for this to happen, Mary," he told her, his blue eyes filling with tears. "Jesus, you have to make it, just so you can kick me in the ass for being so freakin' stupid and dragging the two of you out here." He rested his hand on hers, fighting back the tears that were threatening to fall.

When Allen returned with the branches needed, he and Jr. worked together to create a splint for Jr.'s leg after Allen had managed to set it as straight as he could. Jr. had gritted his teeth during the process, but he'd only let loose a few curses before falling silent and bearing the pain. Allen showed him the two longer branches he'd found, along with two small branches that Jr. glanced at questioningly. "I was thinking we could place the smaller branches across the tops of those branches and pad them by wrapping them up with strips of that remaining blanket. That way, they won't kill you while you're using them. Do you think that'll work?" he asked.

They set about doing what Allen had suggested, each working silently and quickly. After they'd finished, Allen helped Jr. to his feet and handed him the crutches. Jr. leaned on them, testing them out. "Yeah, they'll do the job they need to. Now we've wasted enough time. We need to get Mary back to the Elsa. If I fall behind a little, don't worry about me. Just concentrate on getting Mary back, okay?"

Allen nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I will. Just try to keep up the best you can. I don't want to have to explain to Shion that you're back there somewhere, but I lost track of you."

Jr. grinned briefly, but his amusement faded when he looked down at Mary. "You'll have to get in front of where she's laying, but behind the part that's tied together."

Allen did so, and he lifted the travois up carefully. "I hope I don't jostle her too much. I've never done this kind of thing before…"

It seemed to both Allen and Jr. to take forever before the Elsa finally came into view. Jr. came to a halt, breathing heavily. "Damn, I was beginning to think we were going in circles," he panted. Suddenly his eyes widened. "Hey, look! They must have been keeping an eye out for us, because that looks like Shelley and Tony. Go and meet them so they can get Mary on board."

Allen nodded and continued carrying Mary toward Shelley and Tony. His arms were starting to tire, but he didn't stop until he'd reached them. Shelley's eyes widened at her sister's condition, and every bit of color leached from Tony's face. "Jesus, Shelley said you'd told her it was bad, but…" He straightened and met Allen's gaze directly. "Let me take her, Allen. You look like you're about to fall over from exhaustion." He waited for Allen to lower the travois and step away from it before taking Allen's place and carefully bringing Mary aboard the ship.

"You go ahead with him, Shelley," Allen said softly. "I'll just wait for Jr. to catch up, and I'll be in." He squeezed her hand lightly, and she nodded. He watched her disappear inside the Elsa before turning to see Jr. hobbling his way toward him. "Come on, Jr. How about you lean on me the rest of the way?" He hurried to help Jr. board the Elsa, where they met a frantic Shion.

"There you both are! Tony took Mary downstairs, and Shelley is with her." She quickly made her way toward Jr., and Allen realized Jr. no longer needed his help. He headed toward the elevator to see what was going on with Mary and if he could lend any assistance.

"Oh, Jr., what happened out there?" Shion cried, her eyes moving over him as he leaned heavily on his makeshift crutches.

"I promise I'll tell you about it, sweetheart, but right now I want to check up on Mary." She saw the pain and guilt in his eyes, and her heart ached for him. Ayame had ceased fussing in her arms the instant she'd heard her father's voice, which allowed Shion to follow Jr. as he hobbled into the elevator. "The next time I have a brilliant idea like this, find a way to talk me out of it," he said to her, and she saw tears shimmer briefly before he turned his head.

"Jr., Mary's a fighter. I admit her condition horrified me when Tony brought her in, but nanotreatment will heal her. You'll need it, too, but we'll worry about that after you've seen Mary." They left the elevator and stopped outside Mary and Shelley's room.

Shelley turned to them, her purple eyes shadowed. "Her wounds are grievous, but due to Allen's use of healing ether, we will be able to save her. She will require quite a bit of rest afterward, but I am hopeful she will suffer no lasting effects. Now, let us see to your injuries, Little Master." She took a step toward Jr., but he shook his head at her.

"Shelley, how can you act like it's not my damn fault Mary's like that? If she hadn't gone with me -" Jr. cut himself off, lowering his head. Shion pressed close to him, feeling his agony as though it were her own.

"Because it is not your fault, Little Master," Shelley stated simply. "Mary chose to go with you, and she knew very well what was involved. It is no different than when we were aboard the Durandal, and she was by your side throughout every dangerous mission we took on. You must not place blame on yourself. If she were awake at this very moment, she would say the same." She smiled at him gently. "Now please allow me to examine your injuries." After she had done so, she asked Allen to bring Scott to her. "I am going to have him see to your treatment in your cabin, Little Master. I am sure you are exhausted, and you will need to rest after Scott is done. Shion, please escort Little Master upstairs. Scott will be along momentarily." Shion gave Shelley a grateful look and then led an unresisting Jr. back toward the elevator.

After they'd entered the cabin, Shion said quietly, "Why don't you lay down while you're waiting for Scott, Jr.? You look exhausted. Let me put Ayame in the crib for a minute, and I'll help you." She placed Ayame in the crib, although Ayame didn't seem happy with the idea because she immediately began fussing, and then returned to Jr.'s side to take the crutches and help him lay down. He remained silent throughout the ordeal, and she hurried to pick Ayame back up before her fussing became worse. Shion opened her mouth to say something, but at that instant, Scott entered the room.

Once he'd performed the nanotreatment, he said pointedly, "You'll need to rest now, Little Master. Your body needs sleep to heal completely, and I don't think you'll be able to stay awake much longer, anyway. Could you keep an eye on him, Shion, to make sure he does what he needs to?"

She nodded firmly and thanked him before he left. Sitting down on the bed beside Jr., she rested her hand on his. "Jr., I know you're feeling guilty right now, but you heard what Shelley said. There's no need to blame yourself for what happened out there."

He said fiercely, "I have every damn reason to blame myself, Shion! I was in charge of that mission, and I should have been protecting her! It's because of me that Mary almost died!"

She said just as fiercely, "You've got to stop taking everything onto yourself, Jr.! Mary went willingly, and she knew what could happen!" She watched his eyes shut briefly before they flew back open as he tried to fight his exhaustion. "We'll discuss it more after you've slept for a while," she told him.

He lifted a hand to touch Ayame, whose fussing had halted once she was back in her mother's arms. His hand was only inches from her head when she started fussing loudly and shifting insistently in her blanket. He bit his lip and pulled his hand away. "I guess she doesn't want me touching her," he said, his blue eyes tormented.

"She's angry and upset, and she doesn't understand why Daddy left. She seems to have inherited your hair trigger temper, you know," Shion said, trying to tease him a little.

"She's got every right to be pissed off at me. If I'd once stopped to think before rushing out there because of my pathetic need for vengeance, I'd have kept a helluva lot of people from being hurt." He was blaming himself hard, and tears filled Shion's eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall. Tears weren't what Jr. needed, but she would wait until he'd had healing sleep to give him what he did need.

"Jr…." she murmured, but he turned his head from her. She saw his eyes slide shut, and his breathing evened out almost immediately. "That's it, you sleep for now. Because once you wake up, I won't let you avoid what you need to hear." She shifted Ayame in her arms to lean over and kiss his cheek before getting to her feet to see if Ayame was ready to try nursing again.

On the lower level, Shelley had just bent down to check on Mary's vital signs. She nodded to herself and turned to Tony. "She seems to have shifted into normal, restful sleep. I will give you time alone with her while I speak with Allen, Tony." She smiled gently when she saw him rush to Mary's side. "Let us step out into the hallway, Allen, so we may speak of some of what happened while the three of you were gone." Allen gave a brief nod and followed her out of the room.

"You're sure she's going to be okay?" he asked once they were in the hallway. "I don't think I've ever wished I knew stronger healing ethers more than I did when I saw the condition she was in." He sighed.

"Allen, what you did know managed to save her. That is all we can ask for, and I am grateful that you had the knowledge you did. Mary will be as well, once she is awake. Now I ask that you tell me some of what transpired." She laid a hand on his arm, her purple eyes gazing steadily into his blue ones.

"We found a group of them in a clearing, sleeping. Jr. knew we probably wouldn't be able to take many down before the rest of them woke up and realized what was going on. He was right. We all got attacked, and one of them grabbed me in its hand and lifted me up into the air. I was hanging there, choking, and Mary saved me, Shelley. She used an attacking ether and forced the thing to let me go. It gave another one of them the opening to attack her, though. I cried out a warning, but…I was too late." He came to a halt, the memory of Mary's attack coming back to him with startling and horrifying clarity.

Shelley brought a finger to his mouth. "That is more than enough for now, Allen. I can see you are starting to blame yourself as the Little Master did, and you have no reason to. You returned her to us, and she is safe now." She replaced her finger with her mouth in a soft kiss, and they stood in a silent embrace for a time. "You have said nothing of any injuries you received, and yet I saw that you were limping when you entered the room. I think it best if you go up to the men's cabin to rest after I have treated you. The workroom is not the place for you at this time, Allen."

While he wanted to attempt a protest, his body was tiring quickly. Because of that, he said in a quiet tone, "I'll do what you want me to, but I just want to make sure you'll come back down to be with Mary. She needs her sister with her." She nodded, placing a hand against his cheek, and then they set off toward the elevator.

In Mary and Shelley's room, Tony was cautiously holding Mary's hand in his. His green eyes were locked on her sleeping face. "Okay, so I'm an idiot. You know that as well as I do, beautiful. It took something like this for me to open up my damn eyes and realize what the hell you mean to me. For me to stop denying that we're more than friends. Now I just have to wait for you to wake up so I can tell you face-to-face. Because I know you, Mary Godwin, and I know you're going to be just fine. You'll probably wake up and laugh at me for worrying and staying by your side all this time. As long as I get to hear you laugh again, I don't give a damn if it's directed at me." He lowered his head and took a deep breath. "And I ain't going nowhere until Shelley kicks me outta this room," he swore, managing to pull his chair closer without letting go of her hand.

A few hours later, Jr. began surfacing from the sleep that had pulled at him relentlessly and forced him to give in. He became aware of a strange sensation on his chest, and his blue eyes blinked open. He was met with the sight of his daughter's downy red hair as she snuggled into his chest. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he chuckled softly. "Oh, so you're finally awake?" he heard Shion say teasingly. He glanced to his left to see her sitting by him, her hand resting on Ayame's blanketed back. "She wanted to snuggle with Daddy while he was sleeping, and I didn't have the heart to refuse her, what with the adorable picture the two of you made."

He brought a hand up to stroke Ayame's back gently. "Waking up to my daughter snuggling with me is the one of the best ways I could wake up. Nah, you don't have to move her, sweetheart. Just let her stay where she is for a while." Shion had been about to take Ayame and put her down for a nap, but she halted at Jr.'s words.

"Okay, but can we talk for a bit?" she asked, her tone gentle but firm. Knowing he couldn't very well say no, he nodded, careful not to disturb his sleeping daughter. "Jr., I know you blame yourself for what happened, but you have to be realistic. Mary had every opportunity to say no. Just because you wanted her to come along didn't mean she had to agree. Let's look at this from another angle. If I had asked to come along, would you have agreed to it?" She met his eyes, one eyebrow arched.

He muttered, "No." When she cupped a hand to her ear, indicating he needed to be louder, he said reluctantly, "No, I wouldn't have. I'd have said you needed to stay here with Aya."

She folded her arms across her chest, knowing he had a hold on Ayame. "That's exactly my point here. Just because something is proposed doesn't mean everyone needs to agree to it. You proposed that Mary go with you, and she agreed. She had the option not to. She may not have chosen it, but the option existed. She understood that there was a very real danger of her being hurt, even killed, and yet she went. That was her choice, Jr. It was never yours."

He answered, his voiced filled with quiet torment, "She went because she trusted me! I betrayed that trust by allowing that to happen to her, Shion!"

"I don't know what happened out there, but I would assume you wanted her to go because she's always been your trusted ally in battles before this one?" He made an affirmative noise. "Then you had every faith in her ability to take care of herself. You wouldn't have asked her to go if you thought you needed to look after her constantly. That makes no sense, Jr., and you know that. Yes, she was seriously injured, but the only fault lies with the things that did that to her. They are to blame, not you." She ran her fingers through his thick crimson hair and smiled when she heard him sigh.

"Okay, sweetheart, you win," he conceded. He caressed Ayame's back, and she sighed contentedly, burrowing into his chest like a kitten. "I've got a lot to make up to you and my little one, though, and I'm not going to let you talk me out of that. You know I love spoiling my two girls, and I'm going to spoil the both of you even worse now."

She giggled and carefully maneuvered around Ayame to kiss him. "I'll take her now and let her nap in the crib, since we have to meet the others in the lounge in a little while. You and Allen need to tell us what happened while you were out there, because we're still pretty much in the dark about it." She scooped Ayame into her arms with ease, never disturbing their daughter. Once she'd put Ayame down, she turned and made her way back to him. "How does your leg feel, by the way? We can probably take all of that off your leg now."

He pulled her down over him with a grin. "What I've got on my leg is called a 'splint,' sweetheart. I realize you wouldn't know since you always make fun of me when I read my books, but, as you can see, books can come in pretty damn handy, huh?"

She lifted her chin a bit haughtily. "Every now and then, I guess they can. You're still not going to get me to read them, Jr."

Forgetting about his splint for a time, he slid his arms around her waist as her arms wound about his neck. "These next few weeks can't pass quickly enough," he growled before their mouths met in a lengthy kiss. Quite a while passed before either of them recalled that his splint still needed to be removed. They had just finished doing so when Ayame awoke from her nap, signaling her need to eat and be changed before the family of three headed off to the lounge.

Downstairs, Shelley was checking on Mary before she met Allen at the men's cabin. Mary's recovery was proceeding smoothly, and Shelley told Tony quietly, "She should be awakening soon. Her vital signs are improving steadily and rapidly. Will you be staying here with her or going upstairs to the lounge?"

Tony seemed torn at the decision. While he wanted to hear what the Little Master and Allen had to say, the thought of leaving Mary before she awoke wasn't sitting well with him. "I think I'm gonna stay here, Shelley. I don't want her to be alone if she wakes up during the meeting." Shelley placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and simply nodded. She smiled as she left.

A little while later, Allen and Jr. had filled everyone in on what had happened, but they hadn't yet spoken of KOS-MOS. Jr. had pulled Allen aside when he'd entered the lounge, and they'd agreed to save that until after they'd spoken of everything else. Their eyes met briefly, and Jr. nodded at Allen silently. "There's one thing we haven't told you all about yet," Allen said hesitantly. "I know I was in shock when I saw it. I don't know about Jr., but it took me a little while to process it in my head after I woke up."

Jr.'s gaze swung toward Shion. "I wasn't in as much shock as Allen was, because you and I had heard about it before, even though we didn't see it ourselves." She looked confused for a second, and then her eyes widened. "Yeah, she was here, too. This time, Allen and I actually saw her, sweetheart. She looked just like that being described to us. Allen's gonna have to take up the story here, though, because one of those damn things came along and knocked me the hell out," he said bitterly.

"After it knocked Jr. out, I knew it was coming after me. I knew I'd never make it to the rifle, but I figured I'd try, anyway. It realized what I was trying to do and rushed at me. I kind of put my hands up to ward it off or something, but the attack never came. When I opened my eyes, there was a light surrounding the creature almost like the one that was surrounding KOS-MOS. Then the creature just started to disintegrate into particles…" His blue eyes went wide, and he clapped a hand to his forehead. "It suddenly just came to me what it reminded me of! Do you remember the first time we boarded the Elsa and that Gnosis showed up, Shion?" She nodded slowly. "The way this creature disappeared reminded me a lot of how chaos got rid of the Gnosis. I don't know if there's a connection or not, but I thought I'd bring that up."

With that to ponder about, the meeting broke up. Jr. slid his arm around Shion's waist. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you earlier, sweetheart. I didn't know what to say. I know you miss her, and now you've missed a chance to see her again."

She shook her head. "Despite how much I want to see KOS-MOS again, my place was here with Ayame. I know I'll see her again soon. It's enough for me right now to know that she was here, and that she protected all of you in a way. I am interested in how the creature disappeared, though. It might mean that chaos is with her and helping to protect her." She leaned her head on his shoulder quietly for a minute before she spoke again. "Do you want to go and check on Mary to see how she's doing?" She already knew what his answer would be before he nodded, and they left the lounge to head for the lower level.

When they entered Mary and Shelley's room, Mary was sleeping quietly. Tony glanced up at the Little Master. "She hasn't woken up yet, Little Master. She's been getting a little restless, though, so I don't think it'll be too much longer."

Not long after Tony had spoken, there was a soft moan from Mary. Her blue eyes opened slowly, and she fought to focus on the people in front of her. "Why y'all standin' there, lookin' 'bout ready to cry?" she asked in irritation.

After the laughter and crying had died down a little, Mary's attention turned to the Little Master. "If I know ya like I think I do, ya were blamin' yourself, weren't ya? It wasn't your fault, Little Mastah. I knew what I was walkin' into, and that's all. So nobody better be blamin' nobody for nothin'," she said firmly, her eyes fixing on Allen as he and Shelley walked into the room. There was no more talk of blame after that, as everyone just focused on the fact that Mary was awake and recovering. Ayame allowed Aunt Mary to snuggle her for a short time, and it seemed that everything was beginning to return to normal aboard the ship. The return to normalcy was especially noticeable to Jr. when Albedo's consciousness made a brief appearance. _Rubedo, could you possibly try to take better care of this body of ours? You do not possess the ability to regenerate, need I remind you. I think my body might have been the better choice, now that I've taken the__ time to truly ponder upon this_, he mused. Jr. could only laugh, and when Shion looked at him questioningly, he squeezed her around the waist as an answer.

**Author's note 2 – **Okay, I once again need to give credit to Princess Artemis for running through the action scene and what happens after it. She helped me with Allen's thoughts and presented me with the idea of the travois so Allen could carry Mary. I don't know what I would do without her. Thank you so much, Princess!


	30. Attempting To Deal With What She Learned

**Author's note – **Okay, so I'm finally back with another chapter! Please be somewhat gentle since I do feel there's something off about this chapter, but then I never claim to be able to write MOMO convincingly. XD Also, it's short so you can all take a breather...

Juli stood outside MOMO's room, undecided as to what she could say to her daughter to aid in allowing her entrance. "Sweetheart," she called quietly, "staying in your room like this and avoiding what's going on isn't going to help you cope with what you've been presented with. Maybe if you were to speak to me about it…"

MOMO's soft voice rang out. "No, Mommy, I don't really want to talk to you right now. You went against what I said to you, and I'm sorry for saying this, but I don't want to speak with you because of it. Not any time soon. Please leave me be." She remained silent after that despite Juli's pleas, and Juli was finally forced to walk away.

She ran into Damien in the hallway. "Are you on your way to speak to MOMO, Damien?" she asked.

He nodded, his gray eyes somber. "Yeah, I thought I'd try talking her into coming out of her room. I know she's been in there since you spoke to her about having your conversation with those two. Did you just come from there?" he questioned suddenly.

Juli sighed as she glanced back in the direction she'd just come from. "Yes, I'm afraid I did. She's not speaking to me because of that conversation. I do believe that Rubedo and Shion needed to be spoken to, however, about their callous treatment of my daughter."

Damien bit his lip. "I understand where you're coming from, Dr. Mizrahi, I really do. With the state MOMO's sure to be in, I just know that she can't at the moment. Let me talk to her and see if I can help at all, okay?"

Juli laid a hand on his arm. "I would appreciate that, Damien. The two of you have grown quite close over the time you've been working together, and I believe you might be the only one she'll listen to." She gave him a small smile and then continued on her way with a soft sigh.

Damien stopped outside MOMO's room and knocked gently. Her voice seeped through the door, and it was obvious that she was crying. "Mommy, please go away. I don't want to talk. I just want to be alone."

He called, his tone just as gentle as his knock had been, "It's Damien, MOMO. Do you think you could talk to me instead, maybe?"

He heard shuffling noises inside the room, and a few seconds later, the door opened. MOMO glanced up at him with reddened eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry, Damien. Mommy keeps coming by, asking to talk to me, but I don't want to right now. Would you like to come in? I don't want anyone to really see me like this." She sniffled softly, and he gave her a sympathetic smile before entering the room.

He sat at the small table in the room after MOMO had dropped into one of the seats with a heavy sigh. "So, how are you holding up?" he asked, reaching across the table to lay his hand on hers.

She shook her head, her golden eyes filling again. "Not so good, Damien," she admitted painfully. "I'm hurt and angry over so much, and I can't even begin to sort anything out."

"That's understandable. You've learned things that you weren't expecting, and it's hard to know just how to deal with that. I'm here if you want to talk anything out, though. And I promise to lend you an unbiased ear and just listen until you're done." Damien's gaze met hers, and she lowered her head immediately afterward.

"I think that would make me as happy as it's possible for me to be, Damien, with all that's happened," she said, tears beginning to clog her voice. He squeezed her hand but remained silent. She lifted her head again to meet his eyes. "I guess you might think it's funny…" she started before trailing off. She managed to take a deep breath and forced herself to continue. "I'm not angry so much over the fact that Jr. and Shion ended up together. I wanted to be, but I can't. What I'm angry over…is the fact that Shion, who was supposed to be my friend, couldn't tell me that she'd fallen in love with Jr. or that it was his child she was h-h-having!" Her voice broke, and she began to sob.

Damien thought for a time on what he could say, or even if MOMO wanted him to say anything at all. Finally, he settled upon saying in a kind tone, "Anything you're feeling is okay, MOMO. And I'd rather you let it all out with me than bottle it up. I'll stay as long as you need me to." He watched as she attempted to gain control of her emotions enough to be able to speak again.

"I don't want you to think I'm not angry with Jr., because I am. I'm just less angry with him because…he did try to tell me in his own way what was going on. He at least cared enough to not want to keep me in the dark completely. Shion hid herself away from me, so I wouldn't be able to read the baby's DNA pattern in a more precise manner than I did when I confirmed her pregnancy." She stopped again and straightened in the chair. "It's odd to know that the baby I saw in Shion's arms when we were talking is Jr.'s. Is it wrong of me to say it makes me sad?" she said, swiping at her eyes with the end of her sleeve. Damien simply shook his head, feeling words weren't needed as he squeezed her hand again.

"I don't like feeling so angry at Shion," she whispered. "She's been like a big sister to me, and this angry feeling is so alien, Damien. I can't help it, though! She really, really hurt me by thinking I wasn't strong enough to handle the truth and acting as though our friendship didn't mean much to her." She brought her hands to her face as tears came to her eyes once again. "I don't want to cry anymore," she wept.

"I'm sure you don't, MOMO, but it's your way of coping right now. You've had a lot thrown at you, and it's normal to react this way." Damien didn't feel as though he was helping very much, but then MOMO removed her hands from her face to give him a tearful smile.

"I'm happy that you're here for me to talk to. The fact that you just listen is so important to me. It's what I wanted Mommy to do. I didn't want her rushing off to confront them, because I knew it wouldn't help. Ziggy is usually so calm, but even he didn't take the time to hear what mattered to me."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's because they care about you so much," Damien replied quietly. "Dr. Mizrahi is your mom, and Ziggy's pretty much become your stepdad. Their first reaction was to protect the person they care most about. I know it's not what you wanted them to do, but I think that's why they did it."

She gave a small sigh. "I know that's why, but it doesn't make it any easier that they didn't listen when I needed them to. I didn't want things to get any worse. I know Jr. well enough to say that he would reacted badly to that kind of situation. And Shion would have had the baby, and it's not the baby's fault that this happened. She was already fussy because of the conversation we'd had. Upsetting her worse isn't fair to her."

He shook his head and took her hand again. "You worry far too much about everyone else, MOMO Mizrahi. I'm not judging, but, call me a bit biased if you want, the feelings that are most important here are yours."

She sniffled softly. "It's who I am to worry about everyone else, Damien. And why would I be angry at an innocent baby? When I think about it, had Jr. and Shion just told me from the beginning, I'd have been happy for them when she was born. I think I could have even been happy for them when they got married. Now I just feel a little empty inside when I think about it. I wish I didn't feel that way."

"They threw a lot at you at one time, MOMO, so it's understandable that you're reeling from it. And that you can't find it in you to be happy for them about the things they've told you. You're going to need time to sort through all of this, and I think you should take as much time as you need without worrying about how it's going to affect anyone else," Damien said firmly.

"I have to think about how it's going to affect others. I have things that I need to do, Damien, so I can't stay in my room and keep crying. I think I just needed some time to myself and someone to come along and help me understand somewhat, someone who wasn't quite so close to the situation. I've had time to think some things over, and I think I need to talk to Charles and Miyuki." MOMO stood up, her face looking resolute.

Damien got to his feet as well, his expression confused. "I wasn't expecting you to need to talk to either of them. Why do you think you need to?"

She tapped the tip of her shoe against the rug and put her hand over her other arm. "I think I know why they've been avoiding me now. Miyuki is good friends with Shion because they've known each other for a long time. So I think she knew what was going on right from the start. And when I thought it over, it only makes sense that she would have kept it from me."

"Why do you say that? I'm failing to see what reason she would have had that kept her from coming to you some time during all of these months." Damien's tone wasn't angry, just genuinely bewildered.

"Because she had her friendship with Shion to think about, and I also think she didn't think it was her place to say. It must have been hard for her to keep from telling me, and so she thought it'd be better if she kept away from me. While it hurt me at the time, I can see why she would have thought that was the only option. She was being stuck in the middle of it all, and I can't blame her for not knowing what to do. And I think Charles had the same problem. He would have found out when he examined the baby, and he must have felt guilty over it. He's also very strict in his beliefs from what I've learned being around him and Melissa. He wouldn't have kept it from me forever. I think he was giving Jr. and Shion time to do it themselves before he came to me." MOMO's voice had become stronger over the course of her speech, and she seemed less inclined toward weeping.

"What will you say to them when you see them? Are you just planning on confirming what you think?" Damien followed her as she headed toward the door.

"Well, I want to do that, but I also want them to know that I forgive them for keeping it from me," she said, taking a deep breath. "I can't hold something against them that they had no control over. Being stuck in the middle wasn't something they asked for, Damien, and it's not fair of me to blame them for it. Being angry at Jr. and Shion, and also Mommy and Ziggy, is different. They all had control over what they did, and chose to do something that they shouldn't have. Now, will you come with me to the cafeteria since it's dinnertime to see if Charles and Miyuki are there?" He gave a silent nod, and they headed out of her room in the direction of the cafeteria.

When they arrived, they ran into Miyuki as she was headed out. She surprised the both of them by hugging MOMO. "I'm sorry I kept it from you," she whispered. "I didn't know how to tell you, and I just didn't think it was up to me to do it. I made Shion promise that she would, even though that doesn't even begin to make up for agreeing to keep the secret from you."

MOMO hugged her back, just happy that Miyuki wasn't avoiding her any longer. "It's okay, Miyuki. I understand, and I realized why you would have hidden it from me when I thought about it in my room. You're right. Jr. and Shion needed to be the ones to tell me."

"Are you holding up okay, though? I'm sure it must have been hard, MOMO, especially with how they'd been keeping it secret for so long," Miyuki said, her brown eyes wide.

"I'm doing a little better after talking to Damien," MOMO returned with a grateful smile in Damien's direction. "He did what I needed him to, and that was just to sit and listen without judging anyone or anything. Is Charles around, Miyuki? I need to talk to him, too."

Miyuki's look was blank for a few seconds, and then her eyes widened again as she said, "Oh, you mean Dr. Laramie! Yes, he was sitting toward the back with his wife and son." She pointed toward the very back of the cafeteria.

"Thanks, Miyuki. I hope this means you won't be avoiding me anymore," MOMO said a little shyly and then gave a squeak when Miyuki hugged her again.

"Of course not! I hated doing it to begin with, and now that you know everything, there's no reason for me to. As long as you're not angry with me for not having the courage to come to you and tell you the truth…" Miyuki pulled back to glance at MOMO.

MOMO shook her head. "No, I'm not angry with you. I promise," she said, her golden eyes softening. As Miyuki left, MOMO felt a part of the weight on her shoulders lift. Squaring those same shoulders, she set off toward the table that Miyuki had pointed at.

Charles and Melissa looked up when MOMO arrived at their table, Damien close behind her. Joshua was busy bouncing on Melissa's lap, but he stretched out his arms to MOMO when he saw her. She gave him a smile and took him after a glance toward Melissa for confirmation that it was fine to do so. "How are you doing today, Joshua?" she asked with a smile, and he gave her a slobbery smile in return. She shifted him in her arms and turned her gaze toward Charles, who looked slightly apprehensive. "I know why you've been avoiding me lately, Charles, and I wanted to tell you that I understand."

Melissa's eyes shot toward her husband in shock. "What does MOMO mean by that, Charles? Have you been avoiding her for some reason?"

Charles sighed heavily, feeling strangely lighter now that MOMO appeared to know the truth. "Yes, I have been. And it seems she's figured me out. I shouldn't be surprised since she's very intelligent and can read people so well."

"It's when you examined the baby that you realized, right? I didn't get a good look at her because I was busy with other things and Shion had a blanket around her, but I think that was because Shion was still trying to hide a little. Does she look like Jr.?" MOMO questioned a little sadly.

Charles nodded gently. "Yes, MOMO, she does. She has his red hair, which immediately led me to conclude why he'd been present at all of Shion's appointments. I kept that fact from you, too, but only because I couldn't pinpoint why he needed to be there. I didn't feel it necessary to upset you for no reason. When I examined Ayame after she was born, I wasn't happy with what Shion had kept from me. I only agreed to keep it secret for a short time. I thought you needed to hear it from them, but I told Shion that if she didn't tell you very soon, I would take it out of her hands. I know that's no excuse for agreeing to it in the first place, or for avoiding you the way I have."

"I'm not holding it against you, Charles," MOMO said softly. "No matter who told me, I was going to end up being hurt after the amount of time they kept it from me. I think you might be right, though. It was better to hear it from them, because it was their secret to tell."

Melissa poked Charles in the arm. "You kept this secret from me, too! As your wife, I don't think that's the way it should have happened, Charles."

Charles shook his head at her. "Do you think I liked keeping something from you, dear? I only did so because of how close you are to MOMO. I knew if I spoke of it to you, you would feel the need to tell her. I didn't think it was our place, unless Shion and that young man forced my hand."

MOMO held up a hand when Melissa opened her mouth to argue. "Melissa, I don't want to see the two of you arguing over something that involves me. Please, that will end up upsetting me again, and I think I've cried enough since I found out the truth." Her golden eyes beseeched Melissa to listen to her pleas. Melissa nodded silently and took Joshua back from MOMO. "Charles, I have a favor to ask of you," MOMO said quietly, her eyes sliding toward him.

Knowing he couldn't very well say no to anything she asked of him after she'd managed to forgive him for keeping the truth from her, even for a short time, he said in reply, "I will do whatever you need me to do, MOMO. So please, ask away."

MOMO clasped her hands together in front of her, and Damien came to stand behind her and place his hands on her shoulders comfortingly. "It's about…Ayame," she started haltingly. She saw Charles' eyes widen in surprise, and she hurried to continue. "I want you to keep watch over her, Charles. There isn't a doctor on board the Elsa, and she's just been born. I'd hate if anything were to happen to her, because she's an innocent baby. I don't think Jr. and Shion will say no because they'll want to take good care of her. Can you do that for me?"

He answered, "Well, I was planning on keeping Ayame as my patient, MOMO. Her size greatly concerns me, and I'm afraid that size could lead to health-related issues for her. I may not agree with what her parents have done, but as a doctor, my responsibility is to my patient." He got to his feet and smiled gently at her. "Still, it takes a very special person to ask of me what you just did. They had a wonderful friend in you, and it's a shame that they couldn't treat that friendship better than they did." He waited for Damien to step back, and then he leaned down to hug her. "Although I don't deserve your forgiveness for my part in keeping this secret from you, I'm happy that you were able to find it within your heart to do so. Thank you, MOMO."

As they were walking away, Damien asked in a quiet voice, "Do you mind if I question why you asked that of Charles? Ayame is, after all, the result of what you've learned, MOMO. So I guess I'm just wondering how you were able to be so unbiased in asking that favor, even if Charles never meant to stop seeing her as his patient."

"Because she's just a baby." MOMO's voice was just as quiet when she replied. "Yes, I'm upset with Jr. and Shion for keeping what they did secret for so long, but I can't blame Ayame for what they've done. I'm glad Charles is willing to keep seeing her, because it sounds like she'll need that care." She came to a sudden halt, and Damien stopped just behind her, not quite sure what had caused her to pause as she had. "Mommy and Ziggy just came into the lounge, and I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk to them yet…"

"I think you are, MOMO," he said with a gentle smile, taking her hands in his. "You've already done a lot today that, while it doesn't surprise me because of who you are, I really wasn't expecting you to do so soon. So I'm thinking you can talk to your mom and Ziggy. It's up to you, though. You know I'm not going to force you into doing something you don't feel ready for. I'll walk you back to your room if you want, and we'll just sneak around them to get out." His left eyelid slid down in a quick wink, and he prayed it wasn't too soon to attempt something like that with her.

She gave a small giggle that was quick to disappear, but the fact that she had managed to do so for even a short second made him feel better. "You're right. I think I can handle talking to Mommy and Ziggy. Let's go and meet them."

Juli's eyes widened when she saw her daughter approaching her, and she gave a sigh of relief that Damien had been able to reach MOMO when she had not been able to. "It's good to see you in here, sweetheart," she said neutrally.

"Yes, Damien was a lot of help in getting me to see that I couldn't just stay in my room anymore. As much as it hurts to think about what they kept from me, Mommy, I have too much I have to do to keep doing something that selfish." She was quiet for a short time, and then her eyes met Juli's directly. "He also made me realize why the two of you did what you did, even though I didn't want you to. I know you both love me, and you were upset because of what Jr. and Shion had done. That doesn't mean I'm happy that you went against what I asked you not to do, but it does mean I understand and won't hold it against you any longer." She gave Juli and Ziggy a brief smile and then stepped into Juli's embrace.

"I'm sorry that we didn't stop to listen to you, but I have to admit to seeing red once I saw that my daughter was in tears. And when you told me why that was, it was my first instinct to want to protect you from any further hurt. I'm not sure if this will bring you any comfort, sweetheart, but neither Rubedo nor Shion will attempt to contact you. It's now your choice as to when contact will be reestablished, if you even want it to be." Juli stroked MOMO's hair gently.

"I'm really not sure what I want right now, Mommy. That's why I think it's better if I keep myself apart from both of them for a while. I still have a lot I need to think through," MOMO said sadly, tears already beginning to fill her golden eyes.

Although he did so a bit awkwardly, Ziggy joined in hugging the young woman he looked at as a daughter. "It is important that you take as much time as you need, MOMO. And please know that we will be here for you."

MOMO's eyes met Damien's through the group hug, and in hers, he read correctly the gratefulness she felt toward him for rescuing her from her room. He gave her a quick smile and then turned away to head back to speak with Charles and Melissa to give MOMO the time she needed with Dr. Mizrahi and Ziggy.


	31. Ayame's First Christmas Arrives

**Author's note – **So here comes one of the massive chapters I'm known for. XD I'm no good at trying to figure out where it can be split, so it's easier to just leave it. I hope you all like it, since I'm back to writing what I know (which is not MOMO…) Also, I know I'm writing Christmas at an awkward time, but it's how it fell in the timeframe. Think of it as Christmas in July!

Shion glanced around the cabin, her gaze encompassing both the overflowing piles of unwrapped gifts and her unrepentant husband standing in the middle of the room. "Gaignun Kukai Jr., if you dare convince another vendor to give you something on credit, you will be wrapping every single gift on your own," she said severely, poking a finger toward him.

Jr. grinned back at her. "There's nothing wrong with spoiling my little one," he said with a smirk. "There's nothing wrong with spoiling my beautiful wife, either." He began walking carefully toward her, maneuvering around the stacked toys and clothes he'd accumulated over the last week for the rapidly approaching Christmas.

She began to back up before realizing she had no room to. She held out a hand to bring his advance to a halt, but he simply took that hand in his and pulled her close. "Don't think you're going to talk me out of being angry," she said with a shake of her head. "I know you want to spoil her, but really, Jr."

"Can you blame me for wanting to spoil my daughter, especially when I was convinced I'd never have any kids?" Jr. slid his arms around Shion's waist, his blue eyes intent on hers.

"You're trying to, anyway," she sighed, turning her head to the side when he attempted to kiss her. "Jr., we can barely move in here because you've insisted she needs all of this. Where do you plan on storing it until she can actually use it? She's only going to be a little over a month old when Christmas gets here…"

He grinned again. "I can help her play with the toys, sweetheart. And the clothes are from a lot of online vendors who feel sympathetic when they hear why I need her clothes so small," he said, a note of sadness creeping into his voice.

She lifted a hand to lay it against his cheek. "No more feeling guilty over what you couldn't control," she told him softly. Their eyes met and locked, and his mouth was just hovering above hers when she placed that same hand against his chest. "Hey, that doesn't mean I'm finished sighing over where we're going to put all this. Will you just admit you went overboard and be done with it?"

He shook his head, his eyes sparkling, and pulled her tight against him. "Nope, because my two girls deserve nothing but the best. And I'll do all I can to give it to them." He held her close with one arm and brought his hand up to cup her chin. "Because you're going to be pretty spoiled yourself, lovely wife of mine." Before she could form an answer, his lips had touched hers, and she lost herself in the passion of his kiss. Her arms slid around his neck as his hands moved to rest on her hips. Ayame awoke with a hiccupping cry, and he pulled back with a laughing groan. "I think it's a good thing our daughter woke up when she did," he murmured in Shion's ear. With a giggle, she hurried to pick up their daughter, who had begun to wail.

"You make it seem like Mommy never feeds you," Shion said with a loving smile as she sat down upon the sofa to nurse Ayame, "wailing like that. You certainly did inherit Daddy's appetite." Ayame started nursing vigorously, and Jr. leaned down to place a hand on her downy head while whispering something in Shion's ear that had her blushing furiously. "You're incorrigible!" she threw at him, and he flashed a smile at her but stayed quiet after that, content to watch his wife and daughter interact.

Once Ayame had been fed and changed, they headed out of the cabin toward the lounge. Shion noticed Jr.'s eyes slide in the direction of the UMN terminal, and she was quick to say, "Don't you dare! I mean it, Jr. She doesn't need anything else." The innocent look on his face didn't convince her, but since he didn't stray from her side, she let the issue drop for the moment. They heard voices behind them, and both of them turned to face the elevator to see Mary and Tony. Shion said with a teasing smile, "So, how is our newest couple doing?"

Jr. chuckled. "Hey, I wasn't going to say anything, but since my wife did, there's no sense in holding back. Yeah, how is the Elsa's brand new couple doing today?" His blue eyes were mischievous as they met Mary's.

Mary glanced at Tony, who had his arm around her waist in support. While she was nearly completely recovered from her injuries due to the nanotechnology she'd received, Tony still watched over her very closely. "Shion, you're takin' after the Little Mastah, and that ain't good. He ain't nothin' but a bad influence," she said, rolling her eyes.

"In some things," Jr. replied with a twinkle in his eye. "Also depends on what you mean by 'bad.' Right, sweetheart?" He slid his arm around Shion's waist and squeezed.

Shion followed Mary's example and rolled her eyes as well, and Ayame cooed to herself happily in her mother's arms. "Yes, I might have picked up some bad habits from my rather **incorrigible **husband," she told Mary, her gaze meeting Jr.'s laughing one. "Still, I am interested in how you're doing, and not just you together as a couple. There haven't been any setbacks, right? We haven't seen you very much since you've been staying downstairs and resting a lot. Ayame's been missing Aunt Mary, but I haven't wanted to bring her down to bother you while you're resting."

Mary moved away from Tony's side to stand in front of Shion and smile down at Ayame. "Ya been missin' me, lil' one? Ah, Aunt Mary woulda loved to see ya, since she missed ya, too. Tell Mommy she worries way too much." Ayame cooed up at her, and Shion handed her daughter to Mary after a questioning glance to confirm she was fine with holding her. "Yeah, I bet seein' ya woulda made me feel better faster. What do ya think?"

"So, what do you two think about giving Aya a playmate?" Jr. joked as he watched Mary hold Ayame in one arm and brush her finger gently against the end of Ayame's nose.

Mary's head shot up, and her eyes were horror-filled. "First, Tony and me ain't nowhere near that kinda thinkin'! Second, I ain't havin' kids. Not after I watched what Shion went through to have Ayame. That kinda pain ain't somethin' I wanna inflict on myself, Little Mastah. I'm just peachy with you and Shion havin' more kids and leavin' me to play babysitter if ya need me to, though." Her blue eyes suddenly focused on something behind Jr. and Shion. With a giggle, she said, "But I'm bettin' Allen and Shelley wouldn't mind doin' it. Don't ya think, Shelley?"

"What exactly are you speaking of, Mary?" Shelley said with a sigh as she and Allen joined the small group. "I cannot very well give an answer if I do not know the question." The Little Master turned to her and gave her a big grin, which caused her to glance at him very suspiciously. "With the Little Master involved, I am no longer sure I wish to know…"

"We just want to know when you and Allen plan on getting a move on in giving Aya a playmate. Mary said she's not having kids, so that leaves it all up to you two." Jr. took Ayame from Mary, seeing she was growing a little tired from holding her despite Ayame's small size.

Allen had turned a dark shade of red at the line of questioning, and Shelley laid a hand on his arm before giving the Little Master an aggravated look. "If you wish for Ayame to have a playmate in the immediate future, that will be in your and Shion's hands. Would that be answer enough for you?"

Jr. kissed Ayame's forehead tenderly. "It just means you're going to be extremely spoiled for the time being, little one. How do you feel about that?" Ayame's green eyes gazed up at him solemnly, but one of her arms escaped its blankety prison so her hand could grasp the finger he was using to touch her nose. "Yeah, Daddy's going to spoil you but good," he said with a proud smile.

Shion gave another roll of her eyes. "I think you're already well on your way down that path," she told him dryly. The group turned to head back toward the lounge as Jr. began to whistle innocently, which seemed to amuse Ayame as well as her mother.

Some time later in the day, Allen was trying to concentrate on what he was working on as Shelley stood next to him, working busily. What Jr. had said before they'd all headed off for lunch had at first made him blush deeply, but after he'd spent a little while turning it over in his head, he'd become quietly reflective. The reflection had lasted throughout lunch and had stayed with him as he'd entered the workroom and taken up his usual spot. Scott had attempted talking to him, but had finally given a sigh and headed off to his corner. Shelley hadn't said a word, but he knew her well enough to understand she was giving him time to think rather than breaking in on those thoughts before she felt he was ready. His blue eyes cleared, and he gave her a rueful smile when he saw how little he'd accomplished in the last half-hour. "Sorry, I guess I was lost in thought. More lost than I was thinking I was, anyway."

She returned the smile and faced him fully. Since Assistant Lavender and Assistant #2 were his strongest workers, the Professor had learned to turn a blind eye when they needed to talk. He'd begun to calm down considerably since Ayame had made her appearance aboard the Elsa, although he vehemently denied it had a single thing to do with her. Both Allen and Shelley were under the impression that he wished for Shion to bring Ayame down to the workroom a bit more often, but they kept that opinion to themselves. They'd both caught him glancing at Ayame fondly when he thought no one was looking, and they had shared a laugh about how the Professor had gone soft over a child of Jr.'s. Despite his seeming partiality for Ayame, he hadn't lost his dislike of Jr. himself, which was standing in the way of Ayame becoming a frequent visitor to the workroom.

Taking note that the Professor had occupied himself with talking to Scott, Shelley placed a hand on Allen's arm. "Being lost in thought is nothing you need apologize for, Allen. There are simply times we need to internalize what we are feeling before we share it with another. If you are ready to discuss it, I am ready to listen."

Allen laid his hand on hers and squeezed gently. "Strangely enough, it's nothing that I can really talk about right now. All that thinking, and I'm still not sure how I'm feeling or what I'm doing." He saw her look of confusion and lifted his hand to touch her cheek. "You look just as confused as I feel, Shelley. All I can say is that what Jr. said on the upper level got me thinking about some things but not thinking in a clear-cut way yet."

A rare blush stained Shelley's cheeks, and Allen moved to keep her out of their companions' line of sight. It was a natural reaction on his part; just a need to keep her emotions from being noticed because of her tendency to still be somewhat reserved, even after the length of time they'd been on the journey. "You are speaking of his desire to know when we intend on filling the Elsa with the cries of a child of our own?" she said softly.

"Yeah, that'd be what I'm talking about," Allen replied with a hint of red stealing across his cheeks as he did so. "I know Jr. was just joking around like he usually does, but it did make me think on things a little."

"I must admit to doing the same. His joking ways have a tendency to make one think on things that have not been quite as clearly thought out as they could be. While we have no need to rush the way the Little Master and Shion have, seeing Shion holding Ayame and holding Ayame myself has brought out maternal instincts I was not expecting. I do not have an issue with having them, though," she said with a small smile.

Allen returned the small smile. "I know what you mean. I've told you before about how much I'd like to have kids, and having Ayame around has only strengthened that feeling. I mean, I'm not trying to rush you into anything," he hurried to add, and her eyes softened at how quick he was to clarify, "but I just thought I'd tell you that Jr.'s got me thinking now."

"And I am positive that was his intent. The Little Master is extremely intelligent, but he is also very wily." After glancing to see that the Professor was engaged in conversation with Scott, Shelley stepped closer to Allen. Taking the cue from her, he leaned down to brush her mouth with a gentle kiss. She gave a contented sigh afterward and rested her head against his shoulder briefly before pulling back to look into his eyes. "I do not, however, have any issue whatsoever with your having thoughts upon the matter, so please do not think you need to justify your feelings, Allen."

He nodded and threaded his fingers through hers. "I've got this habit of worrying too much. Have you noticed that?" he joked.

She laughed lowly. "I have, but it is a rather endearing trait of yours, so I do believe I can live with it." They refocused their attention on what they had been doing before their conversation had begun as the Professor's voice rose in response to something Scott had said. Shaking their heads at one another, they mutually blocked out the noise as they had done countless times before.

A few days passed by, and it was obvious that Christmas was upon the Elsa. There was an air of frenetic energy throughout the ship as everyone prepared for the holiday. Everything looked just as festive as it had the past Christmas, thanks once again to the Professor and Scott. Jr. had fretted in the beginning about the lack of a tree or even a hologram of one, but Shion had managed to convince him that Ayame would be able to make due without one. During the evening, Shion was scolding Jr. yet again as they set to wrapping the remaining gifts while Ayame slept. "You added more to this pile, Jr.," she said, her eyes narrowing.

He held up his hands in surrender. "Yeah, I admit that I did, but it's her first Christmas, sweetheart! How can I not spoil her for it? We're going to be unwrapping for days," he said with a chuckle as he glanced around.

"Yes, we are," she said huffily, "since Ayame is far too small to unwrap her own gifts. While I want to spoil her, too, you're verging on ridiculous." She finished the bow she'd created with a flourish and looked up in surprise when Jr. stood up and moved to sit behind her on the floor, sliding his arms around her waist.

"Speaking of spoiling, how come you won't tell me what that one gift is that you got for her?" He lowered his head to kiss leisurely along her neck.

"Oh, no, you don't," she said with a slight shake of her head. "There's a reason I've kept that one secret from you. I want you to be surprised when you see what it is. And no matter how much you try to make me all warm and fuzzy from your kisses, I'm not going to tell you. So how about you get right back to your designated spot and wrap?"

"Mmmm, in a minute," he murmured, moving his mouth up toward her ear and sliding his hands beneath her pajama top. Having started his passionate assault on her senses to get her to spill her secret to him, he'd found himself caught up in it as well.

Her hands fell from the gift she'd pulled toward her and moved to stop his from continuing northward. "Jr.," she said with a distinct tremor in her voice, "we have to get done here. I know I've finally recovered from Ayame's birth, but tonight is not the night for us to celebrate that fact." She leaned her head back against his shoulder and squeezed his hands through the material of her pajama top.

With a sigh, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her soundly. "Yeah, you're right. Tomorrow's our little one's first Christmas! As her father, it's my damn duty to make sure she's as spoiled as it's possible to be!" He quickly returned to wrapping gifts and pointedly ignored his wife's good-natured mutters about how he was performing his duty quite admirably.

At around the same time Jr. was sitting back down to continue wrapping his daughter's gifts, Allen was wide awake in the workroom, pondering over something that had occurred to him earlier in the day. While he would never attempt to take away from Ayame's first Christmas, he had something he wished to do sometime the next day. He had no idea how it would be received, but he had a feeling that if he continued to allow the thought to process in his head, he'd talk himself out of it. He wouldn't do so out of fear, but instead out of his natural need to roll things over in his head until he'd seen them from every angle possible. He resolved to speak to Jr. and Captain Matthews in the morning to see if it would be feasible to borrow the lounge after gifts had been opened for what he had in mind. He stowed away the object that had been a key part in keeping him awake and fell into a somewhat restless sleep.

Early in the morning, Shion felt herself being shaken awake, and she opened her eyes blearily. She and Jr. had been up with Ayame longer than usual for her nightly feeding because Ayame had seemed to pick up on her father's excitement for what was coming in a few hours, resulting in Ayame not wishing to return to sleep. Shion rolled onto her side and gave Jr. a tired glare. "Jr., since she's not awake yet, could I please get a little more sleep?" she asked in an aggravated tone, her eyes already beginning to drift shut again. "I'd think you'd be tired, too…"

"She's starting to stir, sweetheart. Weirdly enough, I'm not even that tired. Maybe it's the damn adrenaline kicking in or something," he told her with a laugh. He shifted position so he was above her, smiling when her mouth opened wide in a yawn. "Besides, I wanted to say Merry Christmas to you and tell you how much I love you." He lowered his head to kiss her softly, and despite her annoyance, her arms slid around his neck to draw him close.

When he lifted his head, her eyes seemed less sleepy, although they hadn't quite lost their irritation at being shaken awake. "If I didn't love you so much, and I wasn't still so tired, I'd want to beat you for waking me up for that," she teased. "But I certainly can't do that on your birthday, now can I?"

"It wouldn't be the nicest thing to do," he agreed with a grin. "Tells you how much I think about my damn birthday, though, since I totally forgot."

She brought her hand to his cheek, her eyes sparkling. "We both know how absentminded you can be." She giggled quietly when he mock glared at her and then added, "I haven't forgotten, and I've got a gift for you that you'll just have to wonder about for a while. Oh, she's waking up. Let me go and get her so I can feed her. After that, one of us can give her a bath and get her dressed. By then, everyone should be awake, don't you think?" She moved out from under him so she could go and retrieve Ayame, whose snuffles were growing angry since Mommy or Daddy hadn't yet appeared to pick her up.

When they stepped out of the cabin a bit later, they ran into Matthews, Hammer and Tony heading out of their cabin. "Wow, it's kinda hard to believe Christmas is h-h-here already," Hammer said, punctuating the sentence with a yawn.

Tony made a beeline for the elevator, saying over his shoulder, "I'm just gonna go and get Mary. And I'll poke my head in to make sure everyone in the workroom is up and around."

Jr.'s lip curled. "Maybe you can let the old man sleep," he called after Tony and then turned to Shion when she smacked him in the arm lightly. "What? He likes me as much as I like him, so it's not like I've got a freakin' thing to feel guilty over. Anyway, we'll wait for everyone here, and then we can all head into the lounge."

It didn't take long for the rest of the group to join them, and Mary's blue eyes widened when she saw Ayame. "Oh, she looks so gosh darn cute today! Look at ya in that pretty dress," she said to Ayame as she leaned over her, and Ayame wrinkled her nose back at her. "How come she ain't got no blanket on, though?"

Shion shifted Ayame in her arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her downy head. "Because her dress is red velvet, and she's got heavy tights on. I don't want her to feel overheated. Besides, she hates her blanket, anyway, so Mommy gave into her just this once about it." Ayame cooed up at her, waving her arms around happily.

They all headed into the lounge, where everyone except Jr. and Shion stopped dead at the amount of gifts contained within it. All eyes turned to Jr., and he folded his arms across his chest. "How come you're all looking at me like that?" he snapped defensively.

Shelley was the first to recover, which was to be expected with her personality. "It could possibly be because we were not expecting something of this magnitude, despite knowing you as well as we do. While we know Shion would love to spoil Ayame, this," she made a sweeping gesture to indicate the lounge, "simply has your name written upon it quite clearly."

Jr.'s only response to that was a muttered "Hmph" as he took Ayame from his wife. "Hey, Aya, what do you think?" he asked his daughter softly. "Do you think Daddy went too far?" Ayame grasped his finger tightly, and a smile full of pride crossed his face. "Looks like my daughter doesn't have a problem with me spoiling her like this," he observed.

Allen was standing behind Shelley, his arms around her waist loosely and his gaze taking in the near impossible amount of gifts spread throughout the lounge. _Should I even approach Jr. and Captain Matthews about the use of the lounge now? If I do, I'm taking away from Ayame's time, and I don't want to do that._ He stood, undecided, for a minute or so, long enough for Shelley to take notice that he was being very quiet.

"Allen, are you all right? You seem to be lost in thought yet again. Or is it simply amazement at how much the Little Master was able to accumulate for Ayame that has you at a loss for words?" she questioned with a smile.

He had to chuckle at that. "Well, it's true I'm in shock about it. I'm wondering how Jr. was able to convince the vendors to give him so much on credit. I had a hard enough time getting the stuff I got, and it sure doesn't equal anywhere near what's here for Ayame." He paused for a few seconds. "That's not what's keeping me quiet, though. I need to ask Jr. and Captain Matthews about something, and I'm kind of thinking it's not going to be possible after seeing everything that has to be opened."

"You will only know if you speak to them. I will see if Shion needs help while you do so. It seems she is not quite sure where to start, due to the Little Master's extravagance. You may wish to hurry, though, before the Little Master gets caught up in Ayame's first Christmas." She pulled out of his embrace and gave him a gentle shove in the direction of the Little Master and Captain Matthews.

Allen headed over toward Jr. and reached out a hand to tap him on the shoulder hesitantly. When Jr. turned to him, he took a deep breath and then quickly said, "Jr., I know Ayame has a lot of gifts, so if this won't work, I'll understand. Is it possible to have the lounge a little later, though? There's something I want to do, but I don't want to take away time from Ayame."

Jr. waved his hand distractedly, his blue eyes focused on Shion, who had sat down at one of the booths. "Uh, yeah, you got it, Allen. Run it by Matthews to be sure. Now I'm gonna head over to my family." He didn't wait for Allen to respond before hurrying off to stand by Shion, who was looking extremely overwhelmed.

Allen moved to stand beside Matthews, who was shaking his head at the amount of gifts the lounge had been able to hold. "Yo, I'd never have thought all this would fit in here. The Little Master is a smoother talker than I gave him credit for. What'd ya need?" he barked at Allen, who was more than used to his gruff ways by then not to take offense at the tone.

"I asked Jr., and he seemed okay with it but told me to run it by you to be sure. Or maybe he was just trying to get rid of me," Allen said, raising a hand to the back of his head self-consciously. "Anyway, is it okay if sometime today I borrow the lounge for a little while? I've got something I want to do, and it makes the most sense to me to do it in here."

Matthews shrugged. "I ain't got a problem with it. Looks like you'll have walk carefully around the stuff, though. I ain't seein' how one baby's going to use all this," he said, glancing around with another shake of his head. Allen didn't have an answer for him, so he simply stayed quiet while Jr. announced what he was planning on doing.

"So I'm thinking the best way to go about this is for everyone to grab a damn gift and keep unwrapping until we're either too tired to keep going or we finish. You all okay with that?" He looked around at everyone in the room, surprised to see that the Professor was nodding his head. "Even you're okay with it, old man?" he tossed at him, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"It'll get the job done quicker, won't it?" the Professor snapped back. "So stop questioning my motives and start handing out the gifts, sonny."

Jr. grabbed some of the gifts and gave them out, before settling on the floor next to Shion, who had Ayame ensconced comfortably in her lap. "You just hold on to our little one for now, sweetheart, and let her see everything we're opening." He pulled a gift toward him eagerly, and Shion sighed at him.

"Does it have to be that one, Jr.? I wanted to keep it a surprise for a little while, you know." Their eyes met, and he shot her a grin, his eyes mischievous.

"Hey, I let you keep your secret, but it's more than time for me to know what it is. You know I have to know everything." Laughing as she rolled her eyes at him, he tore the wrapping paper off, seeming to delight Ayame. "You want to come to Daddy and see what it is, too, huh? Come here, little one, and let's find out together." He abandoned the gift for a few seconds to take his daughter and then held her in one arm as he found a white box hidden in the wrapping paper. "Sweetheart, you like boxes too much. You insisted on using them for almost everything," he complained and awkwardly opened the box to peer inside with an also curious Ayame. His eyes widened, and he looked up at Shion wordlessly.

"Are you planning on showing everyone what it is, sir?" she teased him gently as she rested her hands upon his shoulders with an affectionate smile. Still unable to say anything, he pulled a small plush red dragon out of the box, and Ayame made happy cooing sounds at the sight of it. "I wanted to get something that would always remind her of you," Shion said quietly. "I don't know what made me think of it, but once I did, I did a little searching and finally found one. Her daddy has Red Dragon mode, so now she has a red dragon herself. I'm hoping it might help her sleep if, for some reason, you can't be there when she needs to go down for a nap or at bedtime."

He got to his feet, carefully cradling Ayame to him as he did so, and took Shion's hand in his to draw her to hers. "I love you so goddamn much," he said fiercely, and she brought a hand to his face. "There aren't enough words to say what this little dragon means to me, just because of the thought behind it." He kissed her quickly, knowing it wasn't the time to show the depth of his feelings for her. Biting his lip against the tears that were threatening, he looked down at his daughter, who already had quite the grip on her new plushie. "Looks like Mommy just stole the show, doesn't it?" Ayame emitted another happy coo in answer.

It took them a good few hours to work through all of Jr.'s gifts, and although they were growing tired, they wanted to finish up. Shion had left briefly to feed and change Ayame, and when she had returned, Ayame was sleeping peacefully in her arms. "She'll have to see everything later," Shion said with a smile, "but I'm sure she won't mind if you keep going."

Allen glanced toward Shelley, and she nodded silently at him. "Okay, well, we've only got what pretty much counts as one gift here, in a way. You'll see what I mean when you open it."

Jr. took the large gift bag from Allen, looking a bit confused. "Only way to find out what the hell you're talking about is to check it out." He pulled the tissue paper out of the bag and withdrew first one boxed item, and then another identical one. The confused expression he wore deepened. "Uh, what is it?" he asked, examining it and looking up to see Shion wore a bewildered expression as well.

Shelley looked pointedly at the sleeping Ayame in Shion's arms. "We thought you might wish to have something that frees your arms and yet keeps Ayame close to you. It is what is referred to as a baby carrier. We were able to procure one for both you and Shion. Until she is able to hold her head up on her own strength, she must face you. Once she is able to hold her head up, she can face outward. We were looking for something that would be of practical use."

Mary shook her head. "Yeah, ya always gotta be practical, Shelley. I guess in this case, it makes a lotta sense, though. Aw, it's gonna be so cute seein' the Little Mastah walkin' around with Ayame cuddled close to him in a lil' backpack."

Jr. lifted a hand to caress his daughter's cheek gently. "I like the thought of that. What do you think, sweetheart?"

Shion pressed a kiss to Ayame's forehead. "I like it, too. Keeping her close to me while being able to still do things would be nice. Thank you, Allen and Shelley." Ayame released a soft baby sigh and snuggled against her mother, clutching her red dragon plushie close. Everyone smiled at the sight, and then Mary snapped her fingers lightly.

"Tony, could ya bring my gift for the lil' one in? I couldn't wrap it, since it was just too big, and I ain't had my usual amount of energy come back yet," she complained. Tony squeezed her shoulder and then headed off to do as she'd requested. When he returned, she grinned at the dumbfounded look that settled on the Little Master's face. "See that? I got somethin' ya didn't even think about, huh? It'll keep her happy, but she'll be right in your line of sight while she's playin'. Of course, she's gotta be a lil' bigger to use it. Like Shelley was talkin' about, she's gotta be able to keep her head up first. Still, I wheedled until the vendor gave in on it."

Shion's eyes met Jr.'s, and she asked the question she could see he was struggling against because he'd already asked about the gift Allen and Shelley had given them. "What exactly is it, Mary? It's adorable, and I think she'll love it in a little while, but I've never seen one before."

"The vendor didn't give it a name, other than a playsaucer. He told me it'd been around since way back when everyone still lived on Lost Jerusalem. I thought the Little Mastah might get a kick outta havin' somethin' that's been around for so long." Mary leaned back against Tony in the booth, and he squeezed her around the waist carefully.

Taking advantage of how distracted Jr. was by the playsaucer, the Professor jerked his head at Scott to indicate it was time to bring their gift forward. Scott made his way hesitantly toward Shion, keeping his eyes on the Little Master as he did so. "Can I give this to you, Shion?" he asked quietly.

Jr. lifted his head. "Nah, Shion's got her hands full with Aya right now. Hand it here, Scott." He put his hands out, and Scott quickly gave him the gift and hurried off. Jr. lifted an eyebrow but ended up shrugging it off to focus on the gift. He groaned at yet another box and lifted the lid up to see what was inside. "You can't be serious," he sighed, bringing a hand up to cover his eyes and shaking his head.

"What's in that box was all Assistant Scott's idea," the Professor said airily. "You could do him the favor of showing it off, though, sonny."

Jr. removed his hand from his forehead and, rolling his eyes, removed a rather large plush edition of the Professor and Scott's pride and joy, Erde Kaiser Fury. "This just reeks of your influence, old man," he said suspiciously.

"Please," the Professor sneered, trying to keep his eyes from straying to the adorable form sleeping soundly in Shion's arms. "Although I do feel sympathy for the poor thing since she's stuck with you as a father, I wouldn't deign to request something like that for her. This is my gift to her." He tossed Jr. a baby key ring set, and Jr. caught it deftly. "She can use that to slobber on. It will keep her occupied so she's not screaming and yelling the way you do."

As usual, no one was paying attention to Scott, who was standing by the bar with his mouth hanging open. It had been the Professor's idea to have a plush version of Erde Kaiser Fury made, and he'd had Scott return it numerous times until it was precisely what he wanted. Scott hadn't understood at first why it was needed until the Professor had started his mad dance when he'd finally returned with the version the Professor found acceptable. "I'll get the baby girly started early on loving my robots, I will!" The Professor had hidden the plush Erde Kaiser Fury away after that, and Scott had begun to fear he'd imagined the whole thing until he'd been conned into wrapping it. He opened his mouth to exclaim that his involvement had been small, but since the Little Master was already clashing with the Professor, he knew his protests would be lost.

Shion rested a hand on Jr.'s shoulder. "Jr., there's no need to fight with the Professor. I'm sure Ayame will love it," she told the Professor with a light laugh.

"Yes, well, I imagine Scott is happy to hear that," he said stiffly, but Shion didn't miss the twinkle in his eye before he turned his head.

"Guess that leaves us then, huh?" Matthews said in a gruff tone. "Damn, never thought you'd get to ours with everything the Little Master saw fit to get her." He got to his feet and motioned to Hammer to do the same. "Since loverboy's got better things to do," he said sarcastically with a nod toward Tony, "we'll be bringin' it in on our own. Let's go and get it." Tony bit off a scathing reply and then gave Mary an apologetic glance before hurrying off with Matthews and Hammer.

They returned shortly, and both Jr.'s and Shion's eyes widened at what they brought with them. "We were workin' on 'em at the same time," Matthews said, bringing his fingers to the brim of his hat. "We just didn't get a chance to finish this along with the crib. Guess it worked out the way it needed to then, since it meant we had a gift for her." He chuckled and laid a hand on the wooden changing table in front of him. "We've been workin' on it off and on, takin' times when she wasn't asleep to keep going. If neither of ya like it, I guess I could start over…" He didn't look happy with the prospect.

Jr. helped Shion to her feet and glanced down to see his daughter had finally woken up. "Hey there, little one," he said softly. "What do you think about it? Think you're going to like having a changing table rather than being laid on the bed all the time?" He laughed at the pondering expression that crossed her face. "Thanks, Matthews. We can bolt it down like we did with the crib, right?" Matthews nodded, and the lounge was quiet for a few minutes while Shion inspected the changing table. Her smile and Ayame's soft coos said it hadn't been found wanting.

"Okay, so how about we save the adult gifts until after we've had something to eat?" Jr. said, rubbing at his growling stomach. "Actually, we'll eat, and then Allen can have the lounge for the time he needs it. That'll give us all time to recover from the bit of unwrapping we had to do." He tried to look innocent when groans filled the lounge, but when he saw no one was falling for it, he abandoned the attempt. "Yeah, yeah. So I went a little crazy with the gifts. At least she's got plenty of clothes and toys that will keep her happy. Right, sweetheart?"

Shion cast a sideways glance at him when his arm encircled her waist. "That's one way to look at it," she said with a roll of her eyes. Allen and Shelley volunteered to cook up something that could be made quickly, and not much later, everyone had finished eating and was heading out of the lounge to give Allen the time he'd asked for.

Shelley gave Allen a curious look when they were finally alone. "Allen, why exactly did you need the lounge like this? I was curious when you spoke of it before, but I did not believe it was the time to ask."

Allen took her hands in his as he replied, "You could've asked. What I needed it for has everything to do with you."

The look of curiosity she wore deepened. "You were searching for time alone with me in the lounge? I must admit to drawing a blank as to why that could be."

"Well, I'd hope it's obvious by now that I like spending time alone with you…" Suddenly realizing how that could be construed, Allen turned a bright red. "That's seriously not how I meant it, Shelley! I just meant -"

Shelley smiled at him and lifted a hand to place against his cheek. "I am more than aware of how you meant it, Allen. Now please try to relax and tell me why it is you needed to speak to me alone in the lounge like this."

He took a deep breath and blew it out. While he had always been comfortable in his relationship with Shelley, he'd never attempted with anyone what he was about to do. It was making him far more nervous than he could ever recall being before. "Okay, I'm sorry for being this nervous and jumpy with you. It's only because I've got something I really want to talk to you about, but I'm worried that maybe not enough time has passed." Putting the mental brakes on the nervousness that was causing his mouth to run away on him, he took her hand from his face and squeezedboth ofher handsgently. "I love you, Shelley. I love you more with each day that passes, because I see the person I want to spend the rest of my life with every time I look at you."

Her smile turned tender. "And I see the same each time I look at you, Allen. I cannot imagine my life without you, and I do not wish to."

He kissed her softly. "I'm not going anywhere, I swear it." He was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "You remember how Jr. was joking about us giving Ayame a playmate, right?" She nodded, confusion filling her eyes again. "I told you about how it got me thinking about some things. Well, yesterday it all became pretty clear to me what I wanted to do. I was looking at you as you worked, and I saw the future that I wanted with you. For us to work toward that future, I need to do something."

"Allen, why would it be only you that needs to do something? It is, after all, a future that we will both be working toward, so I do not think it fair to you for it all to rest upon your shoulders." She seemed very intent on making how she felt clear, and Allen lifted a hand to run it gently over her lavender hair.

"It's only what I'm about to do that rests on my shoulders, Shelley. And I don't mind that it does, but I'm hoping I'll get the answer I'm looking for." An expression of wonder appeared on her face as he knelt down in front of her. He took her hand in his and looked up at her, his love for her shining in his eyes. "I want that future with you, Shelley Godwin. I know it's only been a couple of months that we've been together, but I also know that it's you I want to be with for the rest of our lives. Because I know that, I have a question that I have to ask you. Will you marry me?" Now that he'd asked the question, he had the agonizing task of waiting to see what her answer would be. When she remained silent, his former nervousness returned and he had to fight his instinctive response to raise his hand to the back of his head and admit he might have been better off waiting a while longer.

For the first time that she could remember, Shelley had been struck dumb. Sheer joy was coursing through her because of Allen's question, and the emotion was leaving her unable to speak to reply to him. Although she knew, as he did, that they hadn't been together for an overwhelmingly long time, their relationship had started strong and had only grown stronger over the course of it. It was that very thought that enabled her to recover her speaking abilities and say in a quietly joyous voice, "Yes, I would be honored to become your wife, Allen Ridgeley."

Allen's blue eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he jumped to his feet. "Are you sure, Shelley?" he cried, and when she gave a smiling nod, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with every bit of feeling he had for her. When they drew apart, he laughed ruefully. "Nothing like questioning you on your answer, huh? I guess I'm never going to lose that worrywart side of me altogether."

"I would prefer you did not, because it is part of who you are. I would not wish for you to change, Allen." She watched as he withdrew a stunning diamond ring from the pocket of his dark blue slacks and then as he took her left hand in his.

"This ring was my grandmother's," he said in a low voice as he slid it onto her finger. "She gave it to me just before she died and told me to hang onto it until I found the person that made me happy. It looks to me like she meant you."

Shelley touched the ring he had given her with gentle pride. "I will take very special care of this beautiful ring, Allen, because both you and your grandmother deserve nothing less."

His eyes softened as his arms slid around her waist. "I don't think this Christmas can get any better now." They shared another kiss and then pulled apart when the lounge door opened behind them. Allen's eyebrows drew together when he saw who was standing there. "What are you doing, Jr.?" he questioned slowly.

Jr.'s blue eyes widened, and then he flashed a grin at both of them. "Uh, I was still kinda hungry, so I was just going to head into the kitchen real quick." He started into the lounge but came to a halt when Shelley spoke.

"Little Master, as a family man, it would be prudent of you to drop your eavesdropping ways," she said reproachfully.

Jr. swore colorfully just as Shion entered the lounge with a happily cooing Ayame. "I'm of the same opinion as Shelley," Shion said, lifting her eyebrows at him. "I turn my back for a second to change our daughter, and you're off and running. It's called privacy, Jr., and Allen and Shelley obviously needed it."

Jr. had the decency to look ashamed. "Okay, I'll knock it off. It's hard to drop a habit that's helped me learn so damn much, though," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He then gave a shrug. "It's not like I heard anything through the door, anyway. Dammit," he added lowly.

Suddenly Shion's eyes widened. She said, sounding awestruck, "Shelley, is that an engagement ring I see on your hand?" Ayame clutched her red dragon plushie to her as her mother moved forward to inspect Shelley's hand.

Shelley used her free hand to take Allen's. "Yes, it would seem that sometime soon you and the Little Master will need to give up your status as the Elsa's only married couple," she teased.

Jr. waggled his eyebrows at them jokingly. "So does that mean we'll get to give up our status of being the only parents aboard the ship, too?" He picked up the red dragon plushie Ayame had just dropped before she could start to wail over the loss of it.

"You're going to have to wait on that, Jr.," Allen said with a laugh. "I'm not exactly sure how Shelley feels, but I'd really like to get married first and then have the kids. Oh, sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he said with an apologetic look at Jr. and Shion.

Jr. waved a hand dismissively. "It's not like you weren't being honest, Allen. Shion and I did a lot of stuff ass-backwards, but I wouldn't trade it for the world," he said with a proud smile, tickling the end of Ayame's nose and causing her to wrinkle it.

Shion was about to say something when everyone else came back into the lounge. There was time spent on finding out Allen and Shelley's new status, and Mary ooh'd and aah'd over the ring her sister was wearing. "So when's the weddin'?" she asked.

Shion laughed. "I was about to ask the same thing when the lounge got crowded. So, are you two planning on waiting a while or will it be right away?"

Shelley glanced toward Allen and then back at everyone. "We have not had a chance to discuss things properly as of yet. With that in mind, I cannot give you much of an answer."

Allen squeezed her hand, and his eyes fell upon Ayame, who was giving slobbery kisses to her red dragon plushie. "As happy as I am over the fact that Shelley said yes to me, looking at Ayame reminds me that it's Christmas and we still have gifts to open. Maybe we should finish that up?"

Everyone glanced at one another, except for Shion since she was busy showing Ayame her new Erde Kaiser Fury plushie. Ayame seemed a bit unsure due to the size of it. She wasn't wailing in fear of it at any rate, causing Shion to lean toward the Professor and Scott to reassure them that it would most likely grow on her. "So, who wants to start this off?" Jr. asked.

"Why don't ya give Shion what ya got her? I gotta admit to bein' curious about it, since ya like givin' her extravagant stuff," Mary said with a wink.

Jr. smirked at her. "Hey, I just like spoiling her, the way I like spoiling my little one. Sweetheart, I don't think Aya likes that thing, so how about you come over by me so I can give you your gift?"

Shion abandoned the plushie with an apologetic look at the Professor and Scott, and once away from it, Ayame began cooing again. Jr. shifted so that Shion could sit by him. "Let me have Aya for a little while. I know she's small, but you've been holding her a lot today, sweetheart." Ayame snuggled into him when he took her, and he smiled down at her. "You think we should give Mommy that gift, little one? The one I hid because she was snooping around?"

Shion looked outraged. "I certainly was not snooping! I believe that was you, since I had to ask Shelley to hold onto your gift until Christmas!"

"So that's what you did with it, huh? Crap," he said with a laugh. "Anyway, moving away from that topic of conversation, why don't you unwrap your gift and see if you like it or not?"

With a haughty sniff, Shion pulled the small box toward her and unwrapped it. She lifted the lid of it up and looked inside. She glanced at him with a teary smile. "They're beautiful, Jr." She leaned over to kiss him, and he grinned at her.

"I know I should probably kick this unhealthy obsession I have with the whole past, present and future concept, but I had to get them for you. Now you have earrings to match your necklace and engagement ring. Aya liked them, too, just to let you know. She was with me when I got them." Ayame waved her arms around, and Jr. set the red dragon plushie on the table before it fell.

"Then they definitely get the stamp of approval," Shion teased him as she removed them from the box to put them on. "My little girl wouldn't steer her daddy wrong, would she?" She moved to nuzzle Ayame's nose with her own. "Of course, since you tried to make it seem like I was snooping around, you can now wait until later for your gift." Jr. made a face at her, but she laughed and kissed his scowling mouth.

Allen asked hesitantly, "Does that mean it's okay if Shelley and I go now then?" After receiving a nod from Shion, he and Shelley exchanged gifts at the same time, earning a laugh from everyone.

"Wow, y'all did that without even checkin' with each other first," Mary said with wide eyes. "It's like y'all are on the same wavelength or somethin'. It's kinda scary, ya know."

Shelley silenced her with a look. "I do not believe there is anything wrong with Allen and I having similar thoughts, Mary. Now, would it be possible for us to open our gifts with no further comments?" Mary stuck her tongue out at her sister, leaning back into Tony's embrace.

Allen had finished unwrapping his gift by then and was pulling the lid off of the long, slim box. He peered inside and looked up at Shelley, amazement written all over his face. He withdrew a fishing pole and breathed, "Shelley, you're probably going to think my gift is a little odd now…"

Shelley had just taken the lid off of her gift, and to everyone's surprise, her purple eyes widened significantly. Removing a fishing pole very much like the one Allen was holding, she said with a smile, "It seems we do think quite a bit more alike than we originally thought, Allen."

He nervously fumbled over his response to her. "The r-r-reason I gave that to you as a g-g-gift is because I was…kind of hoping I'd have a p-p-partner when we reach Lost Jerusalem and have time to relax. You don't have to if you don't w-w-want to, though."

She kissed him softly. "I enjoy spending any amount of time I can with you, Allen, and I would very much like to see why fishing is such a love of yours. It is very possible that I may grow to love it as well."

Mary shook her head at them. "The two of ya don't need no interlink, since ya already know what the other's thinkin'. So weird," she teased.

Shelley shot her a glare. "I believe it would be nice if you occupied your time with giving the gift you had me get to Tony. Before you say something that may have me retaliating in kind." Although her look was heated, her words were not. She could simply see that if she allowed Mary to continue as she was, the Little Master and Tony would soon join in, and that would cause Allen embarrassment she would do anything to spare him.

Mary nodded sagely, realizing what her sister was doing. She handed the gift that the Little Master brought to her to Tony with trembling hands. "Now I don't know if what I asked Shelley to get for me is what ya wanted, but I did try real hard in thinkin' somethin' up, Tony."

He gave her a quick kiss. "Hey now, you know I won't have a problem with anything you get for me." Unwrapping his gift, he discovered she had gotten him another set of dog tags, and they were set in gold instead of silver like the ones he wore at present. "They look great to me. Thanks, baby. Want me to help you unwrap your gift, or are you gonna be okay?"

Mary replied with a giggle, "I'll be okay. I almost got a clean bill of health from the tyrant over there." She eyed Shelley, who rolled her eyes but remained quiet. Mary unwrapped her gift a little more slowly than the rest, but her eyes went wide when she saw what she had been given. "How did ya know I love unicorns? I know they said a lot of those mythical beast sightin's were just ugly, ol' Gnosis, but I still liked 'em just the same."

Tony helped her to put on the gold unicorn necklace he'd gotten her. "I was kind of at a loss as to what I was gonna get you, but Shelley stepped up," he said with a grin. "She told me how much you loved them, so I searched high and low for something like that. Do you like it?" he asked nervously.

She turned to him and flung her arms around his neck. "Ya bet I do! And it don't matter none that Shelley helped ya out, since ya went lookin' for the gift on your own."

Jr., who had been sitting impatiently throughout everyone's unwrapping, turned to Shion with a grin. "Okay, give it, sweetheart. Matthews is already dipping into his gift, and the old man and Scott look like they like theirs, too. Damn, I never knew Scott was that much of a drinker," he said, shooting an astonished look toward the table where Matthews, Scott and the Professor were imbibing liquor from the stashes they'd received for Christmas.

"Well, he is," Shion told him with a laugh. Her eyes focused on the suddenly fussing Ayame, and she took her from him. "You'll have to wait a little longer, though. Ayame is in need of a new diaper, and I'm going to see if she's hungry, too. I'll be back in a bit. Shelley, don't you dare let him con you into getting the gift before I'm back." Shelley nodded, her eyes twinkling when she saw the Little Master scowl heavily.

When she returned, Jr. lifted an eyebrow at her. The sparkle in his eye warned her that he'd gotten somewhat of his way while she'd been gone. "See, I know Shelley better than you do, sweetheart, and I know just what to do to drive her crazy. So, in order to shut me up, she went and got the gift. I waited for you, though," he said with a chuckle.

"Since I know very well how much of a pain you can be when you want something, I can understand Shelley's need to give in," Shion retorted, her eyes sparkling as well. "Fine, open it up so we don't need to hear you complain anymore."

Jr. drew her down to sit beside him, although she needed to sit sideways to accommodate Ayame. "Your wish is my command, sweetheart," he said jokingly and opened the gift quickly. He removed the lid of the box and pushed the tissue paper aside. "I'm not giving up the one I'm wearing." He folded his arms across his chest, and a stubborn look settled upon his face.

She leaned over to kiss his cheek. "While I'm thrilled that you love the duster I got for you last Christmas and don't want to give it up, the truth is that when you have another growth spurt, it won't fit anymore. You'll need another one. It's why I got different ones in different sizes. That way, you'll have one without the need to alter it." He opened up his mouth to answer, but she shifted Ayame in her arms so she could press a finger against his lips. "You've already altered that one once. You can't keep doing that, Jr. I got you a few dusters that I'm nearly positive you'll like. Besides, you're starting to make me feel like you don't like my gift at all."

He sighed and curled his hand around the back of her neck. "It's not that. I'm just really damn attached to this duster because it was the first thing you ever gave me, sweetheart. Your idea makes sense, although I've been this height for how damn long now," he pointed out.

"Yes, you have, which means you're about due for one of those weird growth spurts of yours," Shion teased him lightly.

He laughed lowly and kissed her over his sleepily cooing daughter. "Aya looks like she'll be ready soon to go down for what passes as the night for her. We've been at this for a helluva lot longer than I thought we would be. Maybe we should all have a quick dinner, and then we can go and put her down, sweetheart."

"Well, she's gotta stay up a lil' longer for her daddy's birthday cake," Mary said suddenly. "And I bet ya thought we forgot, didn't ya?"

Jr. shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't say it mattered either way to me. You know I don't pay much attention to my birthday, Mary. Although a cake sure does sound nice," he said longingly.

After the cake had been brought out and devoured, surprising Mary since Allen and Shelley had been the ones to make it albeit under her supervision, Shion got to her feet. "It's fine if you stay here and mingle a bit while I get Ayame ready for bed, Jr. She's exhausted since this is the longest she's ever stayed up at a time. Say good night to Daddy, sweetie."

Jr. leaned down to kiss Ayame on the forehead. "Daddy will be there in a couple of minutes, since he knows you won't go to sleep without him there. Go ahead with Mommy." He lifted his head to stare into Shion's eyes intently. "I'll see you in a couple of minutes, too." Their mouths met in a brief kiss, and then Shion turned to leave the lounge after saying good night to everyone else.

Muttering to himself because he'd gotten caught up talking in the lounge, he entered the cabin to find the lights turned down. His eyebrows drew together in confusion, and he headed toward Ayame's crib, taking note that Shion wasn't in sight. He looked into the crib and smiled tenderly. His daughter was fast asleep, her hand resting lightly on her red dragon plushie. He laid a hand on her back in a brief caress and whispered, "Daddy loves you, little one. Sleep well. So, where could Mommy possibly be? I know she'd never leave you on your own, but I didn't see her when I came into the cabin."

"I'm here, Jr.," Shion said softly, and he spun to face her, his heart racing due to the fact that she'd been able to sneak up on him the way she had. As he drank in the sight of her, his throat worked in a need to say something, but he couldn't seem to force a word past his lips. "Maybe I shouldn't have tried wearing this yet," she said nervously, before turning and attempting to head off to the bathroom.

He caught her in his arms and pulled her back against him. "Sweetheart, you look damn beautiful in it," he murmured, and she turned to face him. He fingered the spaghetti strap of the lingerie she was wearing as his eyes roamed over her. "No one would be able to tell you had a baby just five weeks ago. You've got your figure back already."

She corrected him quickly. "No, not quite yet. I still have a few pounds I need to lose, but I guess because I'm nursing Ayame, it's helping me to regain it faster. Does that mean I shouldn't go back into the bathroom and put my regular nightgown on?"

"Oh, hell, no," he said with a groan. He ran a hand over her back and then returned to fiddling with her strap. "Damn, there's a freakin' part of me that's pissed over the fact that Tony helped pick this out, but I can't get to it right now. All I want is to feel you again." He led her to the bed, and he pulled her into his embrace, kissing her hungrily.

It was when she straddled him and leaned down to kiss him that he stiffened for a reason she couldn't discern. "Jr., what's wrong?" she asked, a quivering note in her voice as he turned his head to dodge her kiss.

He rested his hands on her hips and closed his eyes. Silence from Jr. was extremely unnerving, considering the only time he was ever quiet was when he was asleep. He felt Shion draw back and begin to move off of him, and he tightened his hands on her hips to keep her from leaving. "You're gonna think I'm crazy," he groaned.

"I already do," she teased, her voice still tremulous from his rejection. She hadn't moved since he'd stopped her before, because she was now unsure of what to do.

"Jesus, sweetheart, I've thought of nothing but this since we stopped a few months ago." His blue eyes opened and stared intently into hers. "How the hell do I say this? I've got no way of protecting you."

Her confusion was palpable. "Jr., why would you need to protect me while we're doing this? I'm not in any danger…"

He rose up to slide his arms around her waist as her legs curled around his back. "You're in danger of getting pregnant, sweetheart. I don't want to put you through that pain you suffered to have Aya again!"

The confusion faded away, and her eyes became soft as she lifted a hand to his cheek. "Jr., please listen to me. I would go through that pain all over again to have something as perfect as our daughter is. She was worth every single second of it."

He turned his head to kiss her palm. "Are you sure, sweetheart? Seeing you in all that pain nearly killed me because I put you there. And then I feel so damn guilty for wanting another child with you, since I don't have to suffer to have that child."

"Then we should get started on creating a brother or sister for Ayame, although I'd prefer a little boy this time," she whispered before bringing her mouth to his.

"I'd prefer anything you're willing to give me, sweetheart," he responded, and then they were quiet for a time until Jr. shifted so he was above Shion. His breathing was a bit ragged as he dipped his head to press his mouth against hers. "I'm going to do what I did that night on the bridge, because you'd never let me do it again after that. Just try to be quiet so you don't wake our daughter up," he said teasingly, and she wrinkled her nose at him.

"We discussed this before, and we agreed you were the louder one," she sniffed haughtily.

"There was no agreeing, sweetheart, and if our daughter wasn't fast asleep, I'd be out to prove a point. Since she is, you get off lucky tonight." His kisses began to trail downward, and she shifted restlessly beneath him. He took hold of her hips again, and she gave herself up to the sheer sensation Jr.'s mouth was evoking in her. He heard her start to cry out his name, and he moved up and over her swiftly to cut off the rest of the cry with his mouth. A minute later, he was groaning into her mouth as her arms slid around his neck weakly. "Oh, Jesus, I missed you so damn much," he told her breathlessly before collapsing upon her.

She let out a squeal of shock when she felt his weight on her, and he quickly rolled to the side. They heard Ayame stir in her crib, and both of them tensed, ready to go to her if she awoke. She simply emitted a soft sigh and settled back into sleep. "What the hell did you squeal like that for, sweetheart?" Jr. hissed, propping himself up on his elbow to pin her with a confused look.

"You're heavier than you were before, Jr.," she whispered back.

"It's been a few months since we did that. Maybe you just forgot what my weight feels like," he joked. His look of confusion deepened as she lifted a hand to touch his face, appearing awestruck. "What? Is there something wrong with my face? Sweetheart, tell me!"

"Jr., I think you had another one of your growth spurts," she answered softly. "Your face…you look older. It's squaring off now, like Albedo's and Gaignun's. If I had to guess, you look about eighteen or so." She began to trace the contours of his face gently.

His hand covered hers, bringing its exploration to a halt. "Will you come with me? I want to see it in the mirror. With that last growth spurt, I didn't look much different than I had before. The way you're talking, I've changed a lot."

When they got to their feet, he heard Shion give an exclamation of surprise. "Now what?" he asked, turning to her and realizing instantly what had caused her green eyes to widen. "You're not the tallest in this relationship anymore, sweetheart," he rejoiced. He moved closer to her and pulled her into his arms, seeing he now had about two inches on her.

"This may take some getting used to," she said a little shakily. He lowered his head to kiss her passionately, and she slid her arms around his neck. When the kiss came to an end, her eyes were heavy-lidded. "Maybe less time than I thought. Now how about you head toward the bathroom to see your new 'face'?" she said with a low giggle.

Jr. spent some time trying to comprehend the drastic changes his face had undergone with his latest growth spurt. He found it somewhat strange to see what basically amounted to Albedo's and Gaignun's face staring back at him from the mirror. Shion had returned to tracing his facial features with a tender smile. "I wonder how Ayame will feel when she wakes up for her early morning feeding to see a much different Daddy looking down at her."

"She knows me, so even with my face undergoing this huge change, she'll know who I am." Suddenly his face lit up with a mischievous smile, causing her to step back warily.

"Even with your face looking as different as it does, that smile still has the power to make me wonder what kind of idea just hit you. In this case, I might be better off not knowing." She had begun to back up toward the door of the bathroom, but he grabbed her hand in his.

"I want to do something that I didn't get a chance to do when we got married, sweetheart. And it just occurred to me that now I can. Come with me to the door of the cabin." He didn't give her a chance to protest, pulling her with him. Once to the door, he peered out to see if anyone was awake and roaming around.

"Jr., what are you doing?" she hissed at him. "You're not dressed! If someone wanders by…"

"They'll get an eyeful of Little Master," he said, turning to her with a jaunty grin. "But no one's wandering, so they won't." He drew her out of the cabin slightly, chuckling when she attempted to straighten the lingerie she was wearing. "No one's out here, sweetheart, so they won't be catching an eyeful of Mrs. Gaignun Kukai Jr., either." He swept her off her feet and up into his arms without a hint that he was about to do so.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, startled. "Jr., I don't understand. What is it that you're doing?"

"I remember reading about an old tradition where the groom carries the bride across the threshold of their new home. Well, for the time being, this is our home, sweetheart. So I'm carrying you across the threshold and into our cabin." He carried her back into the room and laughed lowly. "Now that I've got you in my arms, what should I do with you?" She tilted her head and kissed him, sliding her fingers into his red hair. He pulled back with a groan. "Yeah, there is that. Damn, I don't think I've ever been ready again this quick before." He had just set her on her feet, allowing his hands to roam freely over her body as they kissed, when they heard Ayame give a tiny cry. "We'll have to hold that thought," he said, giving her a final kiss and following her as she headed toward their daughter's crib.

Once Shion had settled herself on the sofa and Ayame was nursing contentedly, Shion glanced up at Jr. with an expression he couldn't read. "Do you mind if I ask you a question you might find a little strange?" He shook his head, leaning down to kiss the top of hers. "I've thought about it before, but every time I meant to ask, I'd end up distracted by something. What I want to know is when exactly did you fall in love with me, Jr.?"

He chuckled, surprised. "Well, that sure as hell came out of nowhere, but I can answer it easily enough." He came and sat beside her on the sofa, brushing his fingers across Ayame's soft cheek. "If I'm completely honest, I fell in love with you when you came to me in the park before I fought Albedo, sweetheart. You'd never have gotten me to admit it then, but the fact that you hunted me down like that to talk to me always stuck with me. When you were gone for that year, I thought about you a whole helluva lot, but I didn't think you'd want to hear from me. Then you showed up on the Durandal before we went to recover KOS-MOS, and it all came crashing down on me again. I buried it deep, but it still came out whenever I thought you were in danger. Like when you rushed to save your mom that time. All I wanted was to abandon the Asher and chase after you, but everyone else managed to keep me grounded by looking to me for a decision as to what we needed to do. And then whenever Kevin showed up, I know I acted like a jealous lover because I just wanted him to stay the hell away from you. You never noticed, and, in a way, I was glad about it. Because then I'd never have to worry about dealing with your rejection, which I worried about for no reason." He leaned over and kissed her over his feeding daughter, who made a sound of displeasure because Daddy was disturbing her. "So, when did you fall in love with me then?" he asked.

She was quiet for a minute as she shifted Ayame to the opposite side, appearing lost in thought. Finally, she replied, "It was as we were returning from the dive you'd set up so I could see my mother when she was healthy. It hadn't been that long since I'd ended my relationship with Allen, though, so I wanted to examine it closely and be sure I knew what I wanted. I didn't want to hurt you like I'd hurt Allen. I wanted to be sure we were right."

He caressed her cheek with his thumb, his blue eyes focused on her green ones. "And were we?"

"Yes. I've never once regretted entering into a relationship with you. We may not always see eye-to-eye on things, but my love for you has never faltered. Despite any silliness I've shown in the past, and you know what I mean when I say that." She sighed, but her eyes were clear. She still thought of MOMO and wished there was something she could do to ease the hurt she'd caused her by keeping everything secret as she had, but her life with Jr. and Ayame were too important to her to exist in a place of guilt over it forever.

"Seeing eye-to-eye on everything is boring, sweetheart," Jr. said lightly. "We always keep each other on our toes is how I look at it." She giggled softly, and he glanced down at Ayame. "I'll take her and change her fast. She's already nodding off again." When he was finished, he brought Ayame to his and Shion's bed.

"Jr., I don't think it's a good idea to get her used to sleeping with us," Shion said, a hint of reproach in her voice.

"I'm not going to, but I want both my girls with me tonight," he said, slipping into the bed carefully. "One night isn't going to do any harm, I don't think."

Shion took Ayame from him hesitantly. "I'm afraid of hurting her by moving. She's so little, Jr."

"I'm not planning on going to sleep any time soon, sweetheart. I'll keep an eye on the two people who mean everything to me. I promise," he told her quietly, and with that oath from him, she cuddled Ayame close and fell into a light doze.

_And a Merry Christmas to you as well, Rubedo._ Albedo's voice was caustic as it entered Jr.'s head, and Jr. sat up straight at the unexpected visit from his twin.

"Where the hell have you been all day, Albedo? You haven't said a word, which is surprising because I figured you'd have lots to say," Jr. said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

_I was playing __my usual role of watcher, of course__. I must say I rather enjoyed seeing you make an absolute fool of yourself over the new arrival. Was it necessary to purchase items she so obviously won't need for months to come?_

"There isn't a damn thing wrong with me wanting to spoil my little one," Jr. said stubbornly, moving his hand to stroke it over his daughter's downy hair gently. She gave a sleepy sigh and snuggled closer to her mother.

_I suppose it is perfectly in keeping wit__h your overall character__. And __may I say that I can sense __you're suddenly pondering something within the depths of your mind that you're afraid to speak to me about? That's not at all like you, so do feel free to spill your secret to me before I discover it for myself. I would hope you realize I'm more than capable of doing so, since we occupy the same body._

Jr. gritted his teeth. He'd forgotten for a minute that Albedo could just as easily search his mind for what he was hiding if he chose to. "Fine, I'll tell you, since I'd prefer you didn't violate my mind."

_Oh, Rubedo, how you __wound me. I would never seek t__o do anything of the sort. No, __violation of the mind__ applies to __ma pêche and ma pêche only. And besides, I do believe that I have left that rather malicious part of my personality behind. I was merely jesting with you about discovering it for myself. __You are an easy mark, you know. _Albedo chuckled, and Jr. rolled his eyes at the sound.

"The holiday just wouldn't be complete without your gift of being your usual self," Jr. grumbled. "Anyway, I just had this weird thought. I've had it before, but I've managed to keep it to myself since it made me kinda nervous to voice it aloud to you."

_Am I allowed to __make the observation__ that you are going out of your way to stall for time, Rubedo? Since you've already admitted that I was indeed right in believing you have something to discuss with me, do try to be direct and simply say it, _Albedo said in a bored voice.

Jr. made an irritated noise. "Jesus, are you trying to get on my nerves or what? Fine, I'll just say it. Have you ever thought about…trying to take control of this body from me?" Once he'd said it aloud, he wished he could take it back. He had no desire to give Albedo ideas that would impact his family in a negative way. The thought had been swirling in his head for quite some time, but he'd always been afraid to actually ask the question, fearing Albedo's answer.

_No, _Albedo replied in a voice that left no room for doubt. _If I had any desire for a body of my own, I would have kept the one I was originally blessed with. I would not have sought my demise at your hands. While I do adore poking a bit of fun at you n__ow and then, my only wish__is to see you happy. The princess and the new arrival have been able to make you almost nauseatingly happy, but since I am not in possession of a stomach myself, I've found ways to deal with that fact. So, in conclusion, you need not worry that I will attempt a hijacking of your body. I am quite satisfied dwelling within you, even if I do a fair share of complaining about it. It helps to pass the time, _he finished airily.

Relief poured through Jr. at his brother's response. Although he knew Albedo had lost much of his insanity after he'd died and been revived as a Testament, he still hadn't been able to shake the worry that he'd be saying something that was better left unsaid. "Thanks, Albedo," he said quietly. "Even if I was scared as hell to talk about it, hearing you say what you said means a lot to me."

_Hmph, _Albedo said, but the tone of his voice indicated he would have been smiling a little if he'd been in front of Jr. _This has been quite the enlightening chat tonight, Rubedo. Now__ that__ I have settled your rather silly fears, I shall take myself off and sleep for a while. Good night._

Feeling almost absurdly light, Jr. glanced down at his wife and daughter. Ayame was curled against Shion, her tiny hand resting upon her mother's chest. With a tired smile, he took her into his arms gently and brought her to her crib. He placed her in it, moved the red dragon plushie near enough for her to touch, and placed a light blanket over her. "I love you, little one," he whispered and then returned to the bed to pull Shion into his arms and fall into a peaceful sleep.

He awoke in the morning to Shion sleepily tracing his left arm, which was thrown over her. "What are you doing, sweetheart?" he asked with a yawn.

"Wondering how you were able to get this tattoo. It just suddenly occurred to me that your being stuck in a twelve-year-old body should have kept you from getting it. How did you manage it?" she questioned.

"Sweetheart, I was one of the directors of the Kukai Foundation," he told her with a laugh. "There wasn't much I couldn't have accomplished if I put my mind to it. I got it done on a whim and regretted it not long after. I just left it, though, because I didn't feel like going through the effort to have it removed. I'm guessing you don't like it?"

"Actually, I do. It's another reminder of how you were able to bring your Red Dragon under control, and that I'm very proud of you for doing so," she said, moving slightly and kissing his shoulder.

"Keep doing that and you're liable to make me remember that we didn't get a chance to test out your lingerie a second time," he said with a shameless grin, and before she could reply, he'd moved above her. "If I didn't know Aya would be waking up soon, I'd be fixing that right now." He lowered his head to give her a lingering kiss, and as they parted, Ayame let out a wail that signaled it was time for her morning feeding.

After Ayame had been fed, changed and dressed, Jr. gave Shion a look she couldn't interpret. "What is it, Jr.?" she asked.

"I've got a problem, sweetheart," he replied. "My clothes kinda don't fit now that I've gained three inches and have a new height of 5'6". They're all a little short. So unless I'm going out with this towel wrapped around my waist, I'm feeling a bit screwed right now."

"You just hang out here on the bed," she told him, and he lifted an eyebrow at her. "Okay, so obviously you have to, but you don't need to give me that look." She placed her hands on her hips and then shook her head as she took Ayame from him. "I'll see if I can get someone to give us a few things on credit, again, to get you through. I'll be back in a little bit."

"Not to rush you or anything, but I'm starving. If it doesn't work, that towel idea is being used…"

A little while later, they entered the lounge to find Allen and Shelley at their usual booth, looking very serious as they talked. "Hey, what are you two talking about?" Jr. butted in as he stopped at their table and Shion joined him a few seconds later.

They lifted their heads to answer, and both looked taken aback when their eyes fell on Jr. "I thought your voice sounded slightly deeper, Little Master, but I did not expect this," Shelley said slowly.

"Hey, yeah," Jr. said, looking a bit stunned himself. "I didn't really notice, but I lost that crack in my voice that I had before. I almost sound like Gaignun now."

"No, Master Gaignun was more modulated in his tone. You have an energy underlying your voice that would never have been in his," Shelley said gently.

"Hell, as long as I don't sound like Albedo, I'm good with it." Jr. grinned when he felt Albedo stir and take sleepy offense at the insult. "Anyway, you can check out my face as much as you want, but tell me what you were talking about before we got here." He sat down at the booth with them, and Shion sat beside him, keeping Ayame occupied with her red dragon plushie.

Before either Allen or Shelley could answer, the lounge filled up, and all the newcomers were busy being amazed at the change in Little Master. Mary said mischievously, "I hope ya ain't thinkin' we ain't callin' ya Little Mastah anymore. No matter how big ya get, that ain't gonna change."

Drawing things away from the general consensus of agreement Mary received, Shion asked, "So now that everyone has seen that I was obviously right in getting Jr. new dusters, why don't you tell us what the two of you were talking about?"

Jr. shot her a mock glare. He was, however, garbed in one of said dusters. It was reminiscent of the maroon one he'd changed into after they'd all landed at Second Miltia after the Proto Merkabah incident. Deciding it was better to allow his wife her victory, he said, "Yeah, spill it, you two. You looked damn serious when we came in here."

"We were kind of discussing when we wanted to get married," Allen said with a glance at Shelley. "We don't really want to rush into it, so we were thinking maybe sometime in April. We kind of just want to enjoy the feeling of being engaged." He squeezed Shelley's hand.

After breakfast had been served and eaten, the original Elsa crew returned to the bridge. Mary stayed for a few minutes to chat with everyone and hold Ayame before setting off to finally return to her position on the bridge. As Allen, Shelley, Jr. and Shion were preparing to part ways, Hammer hurried up to them. "Shion, there's a communication for you. It's from the Dämmerung," he told her, clutching at his chest as he tried to catch his breath.

"It could only be Miyuki," Shion mused and headed toward the bridge before Hammer could answer.

Allen and Shelley said goodbye when they reached the elevator, and Hammer finally caught his breath enough to say to Jr., "It's not Miyuki, Little Master. It's that doctor who checked Shion when she was pregnant."

"What could he want?" Jr. wondered and quickly made his way toward the bridge as well. He entered the conversation just as Charles was saying, "While I don't agree with what the two of you did, Shion, Ayame is my patient. I cannot abandon my duty as her doctor. In fact, I've been attempting to contact the ship for several days now. I would hope you haven't been ignoring transmissions from our ship." Disapproval was heavy in his voice as he looked down at Shion.

"No, we've just been busy with Christmas, Charles," Shion corrected. "We've also had a lot happen to us, so we haven't been paying attention the way we should have. I won't get into that, though. So you're willing to stay on as Ayame's doctor? I was going to try contacting you to see if you would, because she does need regular checkups. I don't want my daughter to suffer for the mistakes that I made in judgment."

Jr. stepped forward. "Yeah, it's good to hear that you're willing to stick to your profession's principles," he said, the derision in his voice hard to miss.

Charles had opened his mouth to reply when he suddenly seemed to realize something was different. "It's not possible," he breathed. "That can't be Ayame's father?" He addressed the question to Shion, who nodded.

"Yes, this is Jr.," she answered, as Jr.'s arms slid around her waist. "It's what I tried to tell you before, Charles. Jr. isn't what he appears to be."

"But it has only been a few weeks since I last saw him! How is it possible for him to have matured so greatly in that small space of time?" Charles seemed to be floundering due to what he'd been presented with.

"Look, it's not something you'd understand, okay? So I'm not wasting my time explaining it. All I care about is that you're willing to do what you need to and be my little one's doctor," Jr. said aggressively.

Charles glared at him and then seemed to recover his composure. "Yes, I do not take my profession lightly, so I will continue on in my position as her doctor. Please bring her forward, Shion, so that I can examine her." He asked several questions about Ayame's feeding and sleeping habits as he did so, and then he met Shion's eyes. "She does seem to be doing quite well, despite her small size. While her size worries me, it does not seem to be affecting her in any negative way at this time. I would like to meet with you weekly to keep a close eye on her, however. Is that acceptable?"

Shion responded, "Yes, that should be fine. Thank you for doing this, Charles."

He nodded shortly. "I will be in touch, Shion." Without saying goodbye, he reached out to end the transmission.

Shion turned to Jr. and said softly, "Jr., you can't antagonize him the way you just did. Ayame needs him, so please put aside the fact that you don't particularly care for him for your daughter's sake."

Jr. looked down at his cooing daughter and brought his hand up to gently stroke her cheek. "You're right, so I will. I just wasn't happy with how he seemed to be interrogating you about why we hadn't picked up any of his transmissions. Come on, let's head back to the lounge and get Aya started on checking out everything she missed yesterday while she was sleeping. She's got a ton of toys I can introduce her to," he said, grinning. With a loving sigh, Shion followed him off the bridge to return to the lounge.

**Author's note 2 – **Since I had no clue what the Professor and Scott could give to Ayame, I enlisted Princess Artemis' help. The Erde Kaiser Fury plushie was her idea, and it sounded like something the two of them would give her. Also, I'm probably going to start skipping time now as I write chapters to move the story along. So the next chapter you see will take place a couple of months after this one. Hope that makes sense!


	32. A Lavender Wedding

**Author's note – **As I said I would, I've moved the time forward a few months to get the story to a better place. It's nearly five months later in the timeframe, around mid-May. Ayame is now about six months old. Oh, and let's hope my spaces don't get eaten by the site this time!

Tony stumbled off the elevator behind his giggling girlfriend, thoroughly mystified as to why she was dragging him to the lower level. Mary hadn't told him anything, other than she needed to check into something and that he needed to be there to answer a question or two. "Baby," he groaned, "do you think you could tell me what's going on? Not that I don't enjoy spendin' time with my girl, but I'd kinda like to know why we have to do it down here in the hallway like this. And no, I didn't mean it like that!" He raised his hands in surrender when she shot him a glare.

"Good, 'cause we ain't got no time for that, Tony! I got serious stuff on my mind that I'm needin' your help with!" She stopped in front of what appeared to be a door, directly across from the room she was sharing with Shelley. "What's this door lead to? All this darn time we been on the Elsa, and I ain't got no clue."

He appeared confused for a few seconds before knowledge finally flooded his eyes. "We haven't ever used that, so I forgot. It's a storage room, but we never used it for anything. It's just been collecting space dust ever since the Captain had her remodeled. Why do you even wanna know?"

Mary rolled her blue eyes at him. "**Because **Shelley's gettin' married in a few days, ya dope! I wouldn't be a good, lil' sis if I stayed in the room with her and her new husband, now would I? So I gotta look for another place. Jeez, I been the one movin' all the time," she said with a shake of her head.

"Well, you know there's always room in the men's cabin," Tony said with a lascivious grin, and she hit him on the shoulder. "What? I was just putting the offer out there."

"I ain't sleepin' with a bunch o' men," she huffed. "If ya just help me clean this here storage room out, I can be outta Shelley's hair real quick. So ya willin' to do that?"

He pulled her into his arms. "Time spent with my girl is always time well-spent," he told her and lowered his head to kiss her.

On the upper level, Shion had just left the lounge after talking to Allen and Shelley about their upcoming wedding. When she reached the door of the cabin, she heard a strange sound coming from inside, almost like a yowling. Her eyebrows drew together, and she hurried inside to see if something was wrong with Ayame. She'd started teething recently, and that had made for some rather unpleasant nights for her parents and unpleasant days for the rest of the Elsa. The scene that greeted her eyes caused her to bend at the middle, giggling hysterically. Jr., who was unable to look at her, growled, "Could you maybe help me out rather than standing there, laughing at me?" Another sound issued from him, and Shion realized it had been him she'd heard at the door.

He had Ayame clutched in his left arm while his right hand was raised so he could take a gentle but firm grasp on her small hand, which had Daddy's earring clutched tightly within it. Ayame was attempting to yank her hand out of her father's grip and was also making very angry noises that she had thus far been thwarted from obtaining her treasure. Her green eyes were welling with furious tears, because Daddy was never the one to keep her from anything she wanted. "Ouch, little one! You can't have Daddy's earring! I'll give you anything else you want, but please let go! Damn, Shion, help me out here!" he moaned.

Straightening back up but unable to erase the smile she was wearing, Shion hurried over to aid her husband. Ayame saw her mother and a mulish look settled upon her tiny face as her hand tightened perceptibly on the earring she held. Jr. let out another howl but didn't adjust his grasp on his daughter's hand because he was afraid of hurting her. Shion put her hands on her hips as she surveyed the situation and how best to cause Ayame to let the earring go. "This is your own fault, you know," she told Jr., who clenched his teeth. "I learned my lesson after she grabbed hold of my hair and nearly yanked a large portion of it out on me. You know that's the reason I wear it up all of the time now. I warned you about your earring, didn't I?"

"Yeah, I know you told me to take the earring out, but dammit, it's a part of me! I've had it for years, sweetheart! Aya left it alone up until now. Ow, ow, ow! Aya, you're gonna rip half of Daddy's ear off!" he cried. Ayame let out a wail of frustration and moved her hand even more desperately in her father's, causing him to slacken his grip to keep hold of her. "Shion, do something!"

Shion reached up, because over the months Jr. had attained another three inches, bringing him to the same height as Allen. "Would you hold still?!" she hissed angrily. "Let go of her hand because I can remove her fingers with both my hands free." She managed to gently pry her daughter's fingers away from the object she coveted, much to Ayame's dismay. Having lost what she'd been after, her rosebud mouth opened wide in a wail, and she refused to be comforted by either of her parents. "Now do you see why I told you that your earring would be a problem?" Shion said with a long-suffering sigh.

At dinner that night, Shion recounted the whole incident for everyone in the lounge. Ayame was ensconced in her lap, happily slobbering over her red dragon plushie. Mary shot an annoyed look at the Little Master. "Couldn't ya justa listened to Shion and taken that thin' out?" she demanded. "Ya went and got the little one all upset 'cause of it!"

A stubborn expression, not unlike the one that had settled upon his daughter's face earlier in the day, took up residence on Jr.'s face. He folded his arms across his chest as he aimed a glare back at Mary, but he stayed silent. Shion gave him an affectionate yet exasperated glance. "He insists that it's a part of him and that he'd feel naked without it, Mary. We spoke about it after Ayame went down for a nap, and he swore if it happened again, he'd take it out."

Shelley, who had been taking in the discussion without seeming to take sides, said quietly, "That would be wise, Little Master. If Ayame does manage to accomplish what she attempted to today, the first place the earring will go is in her mouth. You would not wish for her to swallow that, would you?"

Jr. shook his head hard. "Of course I wouldn't, Shelley! I'll be keeping a helluva better eye on it from now on. I got lax about it because she never really seemed to take notice before. She sure as hell proved Daddy wrong." He leaned down a bit to tap his daughter gently under her chin, and she cooed up at him, having obviously forgotten Daddy's betrayal of a few hours ago.

The following afternoon, Shelley was occupied with giving Mary a confused look. "Mary, I do not understand your wish to move out. There is not a single reason that-"

Mary cut her sister off. "Don't ya even think about sayin' there ain't no reason for me to move out! Do ya really think that Allen wants to be sharin' a room with his sister-in-law, Shelley?" Shelley turned pink but didn't reply. "Yeah, ya ain't got no answer for that one, because ya know I'm right! The two o' ya are gettin' married the day after tomorrow, and ya know he'll be movin' in right after. I'm thinkin' he'll be wantin' some privacy with his new wife. So I ain't got a problem with movin' out to give it to him. I'm just gonna be across the hall, anyway."

Shelley's face was still pink, but she moved to hug Mary. "I just do not want you to feel as though you need to leave, Mary. You have been shifted enough within the ship."

Mary hugged her back. "It's real sweet of ya to worry about me, but I don't got a problem with it. I just want ya to promise me that the two o' ya are gonna be real happy. And I want ya to tell him that if he ever breaks my big sis' heart, he'd better be ready to abandon ship. Otherwise, I'll hunt him down and beat the tar outta him."

Shelley laughed. "I do not believe you need to worry about Allen breaking my heart, but I shall be sure to inform him of your warning. He is a truly special person, Mary," she said softly, her eyes reflecting the love she felt for him.

"Yeah, I know he is. He makes ya happy, and that's pretty darn obvious whenever the two o' ya are together. Don't mean I can't be overprotective of my sis, right?" They shared another hug before Mary said, "So, ya gonna help me move this stuff? Ya ain't a newlywed yet, so I don't need to feel all guilty about ropin' ya into it." With twin laughs, they began to move Mary's belongings into the ex-storage room she and Tony had spent time cleaning up and turning into what would pass as a presentable living space.

Upstairs in Jr. and Shion's cabin, Jr. was leaning down and setting Ayame on her sea-colored blanket, saying, "There ya go, little one. I bet you want to play with your toys, huh?" She giggled up at him before grabbing the key ring the Professor had given her and promptly putting it in her mouth, gumming it contentedly. Jr. turned to Shion and pulled her into his arms. "Hard to believe that in a few days, we won't be the only married ones on the ship. In a way, it's still kind of weird to see Shelley with Allen. I'd never have thought she'd be drawn to him like that."

"This coming from the one who thought we'd never end up together," Shion teased, kissing him lightly. "I don't think your judgment is solid enough to be trusted."

He smirked at her before sliding his hand up her back and tangling his fingers in the hair she'd just let down for the time being. "Okay, so my romantic instinct is a little off. Live with it." He leaned down to give her a lingering kiss, whispering in her ear, "Maybe tonight will be the night we finally create a brother or sister for our little one."

She was about to answer when he saw her eyes widen. She'd been keeping one eye on their daughter as they kissed, and her gaze was transfixed upon her now. He spun to face Ayame, and his jaw dropped as he watched her. She was rocking back and forth, and before their eyes, she moved onto her hands and knees. She wobbled uncertainly for a few seconds before sliding a hand forward. "She's crawling, sweetheart!" Jr. rejoiced quietly, not wanting to scare Ayame into stopping. "Look at her!" It took Ayame all of a minute to get the hang of crawling, and then she crawled over to her parents.

Jr. and Shion clapped, and Shion leaned down to pick Ayame up. "Oh, Mommy's so proud of you, sweetie! You're just so smart to have already learned how to do that!"

Jr. kissed the top of Ayame's head. She no longer had downy hair; instead, it was growing in thick and strong and was slightly past her shoulders. Although she had gained very little in height and weight since her birth, her hair had suddenly started growing rapidly. Shion had taken to putting it up in small pigtails, and while Jr. wasn't happy with them because he liked Ayame's hair down, Mary and Shelley thought Ayame looked adorable in them. "Daddy's not surprised," he told Ayame, and she cooed as she ran her hand over his face. "He knows how smart his little one is."

Shion handed Ayame to Jr. while she quickly put her hair back up. "I was thinking of going down to see Allen," she said thoughtfully. "I know how nervous and worried he can get, and since he'll be a husband in less than two days, he's bound to be worse than he usually is. Maybe if I talk to him about married life and tell him it's not as crazy as it's made out to be, he'll be okay."

Jr. set Ayame down to see if she'd attempt crawling again, and she didn't disappoint him. She crawled back over to her blanket, grabbed her red dragon plushie, and then continued on. Keeping an eye on her as she zoomed along happily, he replied to Shion, "That's probably a good idea, sweetheart. Worrying before your wedding day is normal, especially when you can't see the love of your life. If I know Mary, she'll pull the same crap with Shelley that she pulled with you. So Allen better spend lots of quality time with his fiancée tonight, because he won't be seeing her after that until the wedding. Are you taking Aya with you, or is she staying with me?" Ayame had crawled back to her parents, and she was jabbering away at their feet.

"I think I'll take her with me. I know you don't like the Professor, but he does seem to like seeing Ayame from time to time."

Jr. rolled his eyes. "Just don't let him hold her, sweetheart. I don't trust him not to drop her if his attention gets drawn away by his damn robots. Come here, little one, and let Daddy say goodbye for a little bit." He bent down to pick Ayame up, and she moved her arms up and down in protest, since she'd been about to start exploring again. "You're going with Mommy, anyway," he told her with a laugh, and her mouth grew pouty. "I'll see you after you and Mommy talk to your worrywart Uncle Allen." He kissed her on the forehead, and she nuzzled her nose against his face, causing him to smile before he handed her to Shion.

Shion stepped into the workroom, a fussing Ayame contained within the baby backpack Allen and Shelley had given her at Christmas. "Yes, I know you want to get down and crawl around," she told Ayame softly, "but your daddy will have a fit if I let you do that down here. And I don't want to listen to his mouth tonight." The pout returned, and Ayame slumped in the backpack.

Allen rushed forward when he caught sight of them. "Hey, what brings the two of you down here?" he questioned, a grin lighting up his face. Ayame, who'd grown very attached to Uncle Allen over the last few months, reached out to him impatiently. After a brief glance at Shion to confirm it was fine to take her, Allen lifted Ayame gently from the backpack. "It's been a while since we've seen you down here. I think the Professor was going through withdrawal," he joked.

The Professor had apparently overheard his comment because he snapped immediately, "Just because I happened to take note the little terror hasn't been around doesn't mean I miss her. I'm of course used to taking note of small things like that due to my occupation."

Allen lifted an eyebrow and directed Shion to head out of the workroom and into the area above the old E.S. hangar. "Sorry, he's been growling at everyone," he apologized. "I think it's probably because Shelley and I are getting married, and he's afraid he's going to lose Shelley like he lost you."

"I can't come back with Ayame still nursing," Shion said and then regretted it when Allen flushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be so blunt about it." She laughed, and Allen's grin returned, although it was a bit lopsided.

"No, it's okay. So, how come you came down to visit? Shelley's already up on the bridge, if you're looking for her." Allen chuckled as Ayame shoved her red dragon plushie in his face. "Yep, Uncle Allen knows you never go anywhere without that. Ouch, my nose is attached!" he yelped as she began pulling at his nose.

"Ayame, stop that! It's not nice to do that to people!" Shion chastised and gently removed her daughter's hand from Allen's nose.

He rubbed at it gingerly, laughter still in his eyes. "She's got a grip on her. If she did that to your hair, I know why you put it up all the time now."

Shion giggled, but then her face turned serious. "So, how are you holding up, Allen? Are you getting nervous at all?"

Allen looked away for a moment and then returned his gaze to hers with a sigh. "If I'm honest about it, yeah, I am. I can't help it, Shion. I'm worried that I might not make all that great a husband."

Shion laid a hand on his arm. "Allen, I know you will. You love Shelley; you have it written all over you whenever you're near her. Loving someone is half the battle."

"I don't know. It's not like I'm all that experienced in relationships. I mean, I had one or two while I was at Bormeo, but they weren't really serious. My first serious relationship was with you, and that didn't turn out so well," he said, regret filling his voice.

"It didn't turn out well because we just weren't meant to be, Allen," Shion said quietly, and Allen nodded silently. "It doesn't mean you can't have a serious relationship, and you've proven that with Shelley. The two of you are far more mature together than Jr. and I were at the point you're at. It took Ayame to wake us up, and neither of you need that. You both know what you want, and you're doing what you need to so you can have it. That's something to be proud of." She smiled at him.

"You know, I never really looked at it that way," he answered, his tone contemplative. "I don't want to agree that you and Jr. were immature, though, so I won't. If you were, I don't think you would have made it. But the way you're looking at my relationship with Shelley makes me realize I'm being an idiot, right? For worrying the way I am?"

Shion laughed slightly. "Well, you don't have to say it like that, but I do think you're worrying too much. I can see it in the lines of your face. Have you been keeping yourself awake at night, worrying like you tend to?"

Allen looked sheepish as Ayame shifted in his arms, gurgling to herself as she pulled at Uncle Allen's ear. "Maybe a little," he admitted. "I just want to make Shelley happy…"

Shion hugged him around her daughter, and he managed to return the hug with one arm. "You already do. Shelley may be quiet about how she feels, but I can see it in her eyes that she's very happy with you. And I know you're just as happy with her, and that's all I wish for you, Allen. You deserve to be as happy as you can be."

"Thanks, Shion," he said, his voice a bit thick with emotion. "That means a lot coming from you." Ayame chose that time to press kisses all over Uncle Allen's face, and he laughed. "Yeah, it means a lot coming from you, too."

"Oh!" Shion exclaimed, startling Allen and Ayame alike. "Ayame has something she wants to show Uncle Allen, and he'll be the first to see it outside of her mommy and daddy. Come here, sweetie, so we can let him see." She glanced around and sighed. "But I don't want to show him here. I'm not sure when this was last cleaned. Oh, I know! We can go in KOS-MOS' old maintenance room! You and I just cleaned in there the other day, sweetie." She led Allen into the room and took Ayame from him. "This means that, wherever she is, KOS-MOS will get to see, too…" Her eyes lifted briefly toward the ceiling before she set Ayame down.

Allen's mouth fell open as he watched Ayame get onto her hands and knees and start crawling around. "Wow, isn't she a little young to be doing that already?" he asked.

"I think so. I'll ask Charles to be certain, but she was able to keep her head up earlier than other babies, too. Of course Jr. was thrilled to see her crawling, but I don't think he's considered all the possibilities yet, either. Now she's going to be a true terror, and difficult to keep track of as well." Shion smiled and then hurried to grab Ayame before she got tangled up in the wires that were still lying on the floor as a reminder that the room would always belong to KOS-MOS. "No, you can't go near those, sweetie," Shion told Ayame, whose lower lip quivered.

"How does it feel to be a parent, Shion?" Allen asked quietly, and her head swiveled toward him. His blue eyes were focused on Ayame struggling in her mother's arms.

"It's amazing, Allen," she replied. "Knowing that she's dependent on me to take care of her and shape her into who she'll be is really daunting sometimes, but I look into her eyes and know I can handle all that fear because I love her so much. I might make mistakes, and Jr. might as well, but we do the best we can for her." She was silent for a few seconds before saying in a soft voice, "You'd really like to have a child, wouldn't you?"

Allen nodded wordlessly and reached out a hand to caress the top of Ayame's head. Finally, he smiled gently. "Yeah, I'd like to have a child, and I know Shelley wants to, too. I'm happy being an uncle until I can be a dad, though." Ayame cooed at him, and then her nose wrinkled up.

"Somebody's getting sleepy," Shion told her, and Ayame snuggled into her mother's neck. "I hope our talk helped a little, Allen. No more worrying!" Her tone was affectionately stern, and he shot her a grin before they both left the room. They said goodbye at the workroom, and Ayame gave Uncle Allen's nose another loving tug before they parted ways.

During dinner that night, Jr. was busy teasing Allen about spending all the time he possibly could with Shelley before the end of the night. "You know Mary's not going to let you see her after this, right? She'll go on and on about tradition and crap, when all she really wants to do is make your life miserable until the wedding."

Mary folded her arms across her chest haughtily. "That ain't the reason I did that with Shion, and ya darn well know it! Ya may not wanna admit it, but it made for a bigger surprise when ya finally saw Shion, didn't it?"

Allen glanced at Shelley, who was leaning back against him comfortably. "Well, I kind of can't fight Mary, since she's the maid of honor," he said hesitantly. "I just don't see how she'll manage to pull it off…"

The Professor snapped moodily, "Because Blondie's already forced me into giving the day off to Assistant Lavender tomorrow. As if it isn't bad enough she's taking the day off for her wedding…" His words became unintelligible, but it was clear from his expression that he was still grumbling about the upcoming wedding.

Jr. stabbed a finger in Allen's direction. "See that? I told you she's going to make your life hell! I think she gets some kind of perverse pleasure from it."

Mary waved a hand in dismissal. "Stop whinin' about it! Allen's gonna see the same thin' when Shelley walks through the door to greet him, and that's that I was right to do it like that. Makes it that much sweeter." She nodded to herself.

Matthews spoke up gruffly. "Hey, I'm the one who's gotta officiate another damn weddin' ceremony! Ya think I'm happy about that? If you do, you're all a bunch of morons! I figure I'll just start drinking tonight to get myself good and ready for it. I ain't no damn minister," he complained.

"But you are the captain of the ship," Shelley pointed out, and he scowled. "As such, you have been endowed with the right to marry couples that wish to do so while aboard the Elsa. We are not asking something of you that you have not done before or are unable to do."

"If you wanna get real damn technical, I'm sharin' my captaincy with Little Master. Why the hell can't **he **marry you?" Matthews demanded.

Jr. held up his hands and shook his head. "Uh-uh. Don't be looking at me to marry Allen and Shelley off. You're on your own, Matthews." Matthews grimaced and motioned to the bar droid to bring over a drink for him. There wasn't another word from him after the droid had done so. Jr. eyed Allen suddenly, and Allen looked taken aback at the sudden change in Jr.'s attention. "I figure I'll say it now rather than wait until just before the wedding," Jr. started, and Allen glanced at him nervously.

"Say what, Jr.? That look you've got on your face is worrying me…"

"Look, Shelley's like a sister to me. She has been ever since Gaignun and I rescued her and Mary from that freakin' place that was doing all those experiments on her. I don't want to see you hurt her." Jr. held up a hand when Allen started to speak. "I know you're not planning on doing that, but as her honorary older brother, I just thought I needed to let you know I'd have no problem beating the crap out of you if you did."

Shelley gave him a narrow-eyed look. "Little Master, was that truly necessary? I would hope that both you and Mary know very well by now that Allen will not be seeking to hurt me or break my heart. He makes me extraordinarily happy," she said simply.

Allen squeezed her gently around the waist. "It's okay, Shelley. Jr.'s right, anyway. It's his job to make sure you'll be taken care of, and I understand that." His gaze met Jr.'s squarely. "I won't ever hurt her, Jr. She means too much to me to ever do that to her."

Jr. nodded with a grin. "I already knew it, but having you admit it like that to everyone was way too sweet to pass up."

Allen groaned and dropped his forehead to his hand, realizing he'd played right into Jr.'s hands for that one. Shelley glared at the Little Master again and moved to kiss Allen's cheek quickly. "Why is it that, after all this time, you still insist upon doing things such as that?"

Mary added her voice to the conversation before Jr. could answer. "'Cause we're bein' all overprotective, and ya just gotta deal." She stuck her tongue out at her sister, who sighed heavily but remained silent.

Shion entered the lounge just then with a squirming Ayame. "Sorry to be so late, but I didn't want to bring her in when she was being so fussy. She's calmed down now, although I think she's getting tired of me holding her. And she outright refused to cooperate so I could put her into the backpack."

"Sweetheart, I'm pretty sure everyone's gotten used to Aya being cranky about teething," Jr. said as he strolled toward his wife and daughter, having jumped to his feet the instant he'd seen them. "You said you'd be right behind me, and that's the only reason I went ahead to the lounge. Let me have Aya so you can eat." Ayame twisted in his arms once he'd taken her, fussing angrily. "You want to get down, don't you?" he asked her, and she stopped fussing to stare at him with those green eyes he could never say no to.

"Jr., I don't know that it's a good idea. What if the floor…?" Shion trailed off with a shake of her head, seeing Jr. was bending at the knees.

"I want everyone to see what she can do," he told her. "And I'm sure as hell not going to confine her to our cabin, Shion." He set Ayame down on the floor, and she immediately got to her hands and knees to start crawling. There were gasps of surprise from everyone but Allen, and immediately glares were aimed at him.

"Shion already showed me that she could crawl a little while ago," he said weakly.

"Now that ain't fair," Mary said, folding her arms across her chest again. "Aunt Mary shoulda known first."

Shion said in an effort to defuse the tension, "How about we all just be happy that she can crawl? Just think how much she'll be into now…" A tired expression crossed her face, but she smiled proudly at her daughter, who was moving happily toward Uncle Allen and Aunt Shelley.

It didn't take long for Ayame to grow tired from her exploration of the lounge, and she moved into a sitting position, rubbing at her eyes and wrinkling her nose. Jr. bent down to pick her up and cradled her against his shoulder, where she nuzzled into him sleepily. Shion quickly joined her husband and daughter, gently running a hand over Ayame's back. "We'll see you all tomorrow," she said, and Jr. nodded at everyone before the family of three turned to leave the lounge.

When the lounge had finally emptied, Shelley turned in Allen's arms. "As unhappy as I am with the Little Master's methods, I do believe that he is entirely right about spending as much time together as possible tonight. Come tomorrow morning, Mary will be doing all that is humanly possible to keep us apart. She seems to take the tradition to a bit of an extreme," she said with a shake of her head.

"Since she's doing so much for us, I'm not going to complain," Allen said with a laugh. "I'm going to miss you tomorrow, though." Since they were alone, he dipped his head to kiss her gently.

"When I was at the experimental facility…" she began softly, and Allen sat up straight. "I would wish time away because it would mean I was that much closer to death. I did not enjoy being a laboratory guinea pig, but there was no escape from that place. Once I had finally left there, I understood that time was meant to flow at a reasonable rate. I have not wished since then for time to rush by. Once tomorrow comes, however, I will be once again wishing for time to pass rapidly, but for entirely different reasons than before."

"And you'll have someone wishing the same thing," he told her, tightening his arms around her waist. "As worried as I was before, I can't wait for our wedding to get here."

"Why were you so worried, Allen? And why did you not speak of this before?" she asked.

"I was worried that I might not make you a great husband, Shelley," he said honestly. Sensing that he needed to continue, she remained quiet. "I've been lying awake at night, worrying about how I'll mess it up. I was just worried because I love you so much, and I want to make you as happy as I can."

"I believe that type of worrying is rather normal before one is to be married," she mused. "I have often found myself unable to sleep due to fears about an incapability to be the wife you deserve. We are changing our relationship, Allen, drastically. If neither of us were to worry about the monumental step we are about to take, then it could be possible that problems would manifest at the wedding itself."

"I'm not going to get cold feet," he reassured her, and she laughed softly. "I wouldn't have expected it, but Shion came to talk to me earlier today. She knew I'd be worrying, she told me."

"Shion has known you for quite a length of time, so it is not strange that she would do so. While the two of you did not work out in an actual relationship, your friendship has withstood many challenges. I would have been more surprised if she had not come to you. She was able to soothe the fears that you were having?" Her purple eyes stared into his blue ones intensely.

"Yeah," he replied, sounding surprised. "We talked for a while, which hasn't really happened lately. I know she's been busy with the life she's built with Jr., and she has Ayame to take care of, too. It was just nice to have a chance to talk to her again. She pretty much told me I was being silly to worry the way I was. She told me that she knows I make you happy because she can see it whenever we're together," he finished softly.

"Her romantic instinct is apparently far better than the Little Master's. I have caught him casting disbelieving looks our way still. Yes, you make me very happy, Allen Ridgeley. In fact, for the first time ever in my life, I have found myself wishing for time to stop when I am in your arms." She slid her arms around his neck.

"Well, I think it's pretty safe to say I feel the same way," he murmured and kissed her again. They pulled apart a bit reluctantly, and she looked around the lounge with a sigh. He nodded. "Yeah, looks like we've been left to do the cleanup. How about we hurry up and get it over with so we don't waste too much of the time Mary's left us with?"

She gave him a small smile. "Yes, I agree with that particular line of thought. Perhaps we can retire to my room for a few hours so that we are left in peace. We do still have quite a bit to discuss, and you may be sure I shall steal kisses in between." An answering grin appeared on Allen's face, and they quickly got to their feet and hurried to clean up the lounge.

The day of the wedding finally arrived, and Shelley's room was a frenzy of motion, mostly due to Mary. Shion was busily putting Shelley's hair up into a simple yet elegant French twist while she watched over her daughter. "I didn't want to put her into the dress you got for her quite yet, Shelley," she said as she worked. "She's very good at becoming a mess now that she's crawling."

Shelley laughed. "Yes, I notice she is rather rumpled in her appearance today. There is nothing wrong with her wishing to explore a world that, until the other day, was merely something she could look at and not quite interact with." She glanced down to see Ayame sitting by her ankles, looking up with curious green eyes that blinked at them out of a slightly dust-smudged face. "Hello, Ayame. Mommy is nearly done fixing my hair and then you may have her back."

"Sweetie, you would never know I gave you a bath before I came down to help Shelley," Shion sighed. She finished pinning Shelley's hair up with a flourish. "There we go. I even let some strands escape to frame your face." She bent down to pick up Ayame. "Now that I've done that, we're going to sneak back up to the cabin and give you another bath. Then we'll put you in the dress Aunt Shelley got for you and fix your hair. Once we get to the lounge, we will severely warn Daddy that he is not to let you down, no matter how you beseech him with those eyes of yours. Your daddy is such a softie," she told Ayame with a smile. She said goodbye to Shelley as they left, and Mary returned from checking on the lounge yet again.

"So, are ya nearly ready now that Shion's finished up?" Mary asked, her blue eyes laughing. "Oooh, ya look real pretty, Shelley! She did a real nice job. We got a lil' time before we gotta go up, 'specially since Shion's gotta give the lil' one a quick bath. 'Sides, it'll do Allen good to wait, let the surprise build up."

"Mary, were you teasing Allen while you were checking upon everything? I cannot believe that you would not have taken the opportunity you would have been presented by doing so," Shelley said, lifting a hand to her forehead.

Mary shook her head. "Nope, I was bein' real good. Actually, I felt kinda sorry for him 'cause Tony and the Little Mastah were already teasin' him. I told 'em both to knock it off on the poor guy's weddin' day."

Shelley slipped on the low ivory-colored heels that she would be wearing with her dress. "Does anything look a bit out of place, Mary? I do not wish to appear before Allen looking less than my best on this day."

Mary looked over her sister critically. Shelley was outfitted in an ivory dress that skimmed her ankles and was done in a column-style that accented her thinness. She had given one concession over to her favorite color, and that was the lavender trim at the neckline of the dress. "I'm thinkin' Allen won't be worryin' about ya not lookin' your best, sis. Ya look like a bride should, and that means ya look beautiful," Mary said proudly, hugging Shelley carefully so as not to disturb any part of her outfit or hair.

"Thank you, Mary," Shelley said softly. She gave herself a quick glance in the mirror and then returned her gaze to Mary. "I am ready. Let us go to the upper level and see if Shion has had enough time to finish with Ayame."

Not much later, Shion hurried into the lounge to take a seat by Jr. He leaned over to kiss her on the lips softly before taking Ayame from her. "Brings to mind when we got married, huh?" he whispered. "I just hope Allen doesn't pass out before Shelley gets to him." He threw a look at Allen, who was looking slightly pale.

"Normal people are nervous on their wedding day, Gaignun Kukai, Jr.," Shion said primly. "And I know for a fact you were nervous because I felt the tremble in your hand when you took mine. Now, how about we let the day belong to Allen and Shelley? And don't you dare set Ayame down; at least not until after they're married!"

The door opened yet again, and Mary appeared within the doorway. She moved forward slightly, and Shelley entered the room. Scott, who was Allen's best man, patted Allen on the shoulder when he straightened up. "Wow, Allen, I'm a little jealous," he joked quietly.

Allen's eyes were fixed on Shelley as she approached him, and he managed to choke out, "Forget it, Scott." Shelley finally took her place beside him, and he took her hands in his. "You look so beautiful," he breathed, and Mary aimed a lofty look around the lounge to show that she knew what she was doing when it came to keeping couples apart until the wedding.

"And you look very handsome," Shelley said in return, smiling at him as she looked over him. He was dressed in a dark suit, with a lavender handkerchief in the pocket to complement Shelley's neckline trim. "Are you ready to marry me, Mr. Ridgeley?"

Allen chuckled lowly. "If I could've found you yesterday, I think I'd have married you on the spot. As it is, I'm definitely ready now." They turned to Matthews, who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well, I don't got a choice here since the Little Master bailed on me, so let's get this wedding moving. The quicker we it over with, the more time I got for drinking. Do the two of ya at least have stuff to say so I don't have to do it?" he asked gruffly.

"Had you spoken to us about it after we asked you to perform the ceremony, you would already know the answer to that," Shelley said with a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

Matthews coughed. "I was kinda hoping I could con Little Master into taking over, but that didn't pan out. So now I'm stuck in front, looking like a moron. Help me out here."

Allen said quickly, "Yeah, we thought up what we want to say, Captain. That way, you'll only need to end the ceremony now."

Matthews looked relieved. "Sounds damn good to me. Which one's going first, anyway? Just go ahead while I stand here and try to look like I'm paying attention."

Shelley nodded to Allen, and he took a deep breath. "Okay, looks like I'm going first." He squeezed her hands and smiled at her. "We started out helping each other through some really tough times. I fell in love with you because of how much you care about people, Shelley Godwin. Even when you were feeling down, you always thought to ask me how I was doing. It takes a very special person to be able to do that. I'm so lucky to have you in my life, and I'm even luckier that you've agreed to become my wife. I'm going to do all that I can to make you happy, and I'm going to do that for the rest of my life. When I look into your eyes, all I can see is the future that I want with you. And this is just the beginning of it, too. I love you." His blue eyes smiled into her purple ones, communicating the love he felt for her.

Shelley's eyes glistened with happy tears as he placed her wedding ring on her finger. She was about to speak when her eyebrows drew together in consternation. Glancing down, she shook her head with a small laugh. "And how did you manage to get there, Ayame?"

Ayame looked up at her, the lavender dress she was wearing spread around her prettily as she sat. Allen leaned down to pick her up with a grin. "You just wanted to give us your okay, didn't you?" Ayame's red hair had come down from the braided hairstyle Shion had given her, and it fell across her face as she giggled at Uncle Allen.

Shion rushed to take her from Allen while aiming a scorching glare at a repentant-looking Jr. "I'm so sorry about this. I told Jr. not to set her down while you two were exchanging vows and rings!"

"I did it because she was getting restless, sweetheart! I didn't want her to start crying at their wedding!" Jr. said, throwing an apologetic look toward Allen and Shelley.

"It is quite all right," Shelley said with a smile. "She is only six months old, so she cannot be expected to withstand an entire wedding ceremony by sitting upon your lap. We will be done soon, Ayame, and then you may crawl as much as you wish."

Ayame gave her a big smile before sticking her fingers in her mouth to suck on. Shion returned to the table, where her annoyed whispers at Jr. could be heard. Matthews banged a hand on the table next to him. "Yo! Could we get back to the reason we're here? I'd like to get this done sometime today, people! Go ahead," he told Shelley, jerking his head toward her.

Shelley's face turned serious as she focused her attention on Allen once again. She brought a hand to his face gently. "Despite my reticence with most people, you were able to penetrate that barrier around me when others did not wish to. In doing so, you allowed me to see your heart, Allen, and that is something few are able to do so freely. They often hide a part of themselves away, but you never have. You are unafraid to show who you are, and I love the person that you are. We may not know our future, but I do know that mine lies with you and always will. You mean so very much to me, and I will strive to make you as happy as you have made me." She gently slid his wedding band on, and Allen bit his lip as emotion threatened to overwhelm him.

Matthews glanced at both of them, and Shelley nodded to show they had completed their vows to one another. "Okay, so then the two of ya are good and married because I damn well say so! How about you kiss your new wife to make it all proper?" he said to Allen, who turned to Shelley and slid his arms around her waist.

"I love you," they mouthed before sealing their newly made vows with a kiss that spoke clearly how pleased they were with their new status. Shelley's arms moved to encircle Allen's neck as she pressed close to him. The whistles broke them apart, a flush creeping up each of their faces slowly.

"And there it is!" Matthews said loudly. "The last damn wedding I'm gonna perform! Anyone else wants to get married, the Little Master's gonna be doing it, no matter what he's got to say about it." He shot a grin at the Little Master, who lifted an eyebrow in answer.

"Yeah, and who do you think is even getting married after those two? Mary and Tony haven't shown a damn bit of interest in it, so I'm good," Jr. sighed in relief.

The rest of the evening was given to celebrating the fact that Allen and Shelley were now married. They decided to open gifts first, and nearly all of them were gifts that showed that everyone expected Allen to be moving in with Shelley immediately. There was a his and hers matching robe set from the Professor and Scott, although the Professor only muttered to himself when he was thanked for it. Matthews and Hammer gave them two bottles of wine, with the assurance that they would want to continue celebrating all on their own. Allen turned bright red at the intimation behind it and quickly grabbed the next gift. Jr., Shion and Ayame presented them with bride and groom champagne flutes. "Jr. conned the person he got them from into engraving them with your wedding date, too," Shion told them.

Allen and Shelley glanced at one another when they realized only the gift from Mary and Tony remained. They were both recalling what they had given to Jr. and Shion as a wedding gift and knew there could very well be a repeat performance. "Mary, is it recommended that we open the gift now?" Shelley asked apprehensively.

Mary smiled widely. "Ya don't have a choice, sis, 'cause I ain't givin' ya one. Go on and open it up."

Shelley did so slowly. She pulled off the lid of the box and pushed the tissue paper out of the way. Her face flushed immediately. "Mary, why do the two of you insist upon doing this?!"

Mary jumped to her feet and grabbed the box before Shelley could stow it away. "Don't ya dare hide it before everyone gets a look!" Shelley looked a bit faint as Mary pulled the gift out of the box. It was a lavender lingerie set, and Allen's eyes went wide when he saw it. "Yeah, look at that! Allen's so totally lovin' it! Just look at his face!"

Shelley grabbed the lingerie and hurriedly stuffed it back into the box. "Let us move on, please! Is it not time to eat?" she asked desperately.

Later on in the evening, Jr. and Shion wandered over to where Allen and Shelley were seated. "We're gonna get out of here," Jr. told them quietly. Ayame was curled up against his shoulder, the cheek that was facing them smudged with dust. Her eyelids were fluttering as she sucked on her thumb in a sleepy manner. "Aya's just about had it. Congrats, you two." He gave them a grin. "Just think, Allen, you've got your own damn room again."

Allen flushed deeply. "It's not like I started a relationship with Shelley just to -" He trailed off when Jr. snickered. "Isn't there a universal law that states you can't do that to someone on his wedding day?" he said with a sigh.

"Even if there was, Jr. would think he's above it," Shion said with a roll of her eyes, but she rested her head against Jr. briefly to take the sting out of her words. "Congratulations to the both of you. It was a beautiful ceremony." She leaned down to hug them both quickly. "We'll see you tomorrow." They watched as Jr. shifted Ayame slightly so he could take Shion's hand and lead her out of the lounge.

Allen and Shelley left the lounge themselves a little while later and headed down to the lower level. "Are you sure you want me to move in tonight? Not that I have much, but I don't want you to think I'm rushing you or anything," Allen told Shelley quickly.

"Allen, we are husband and wife now," she replied softly. "We shall go and get everything of yours from the workroom and bring it to the room that we will share from now until we reach Lost Jerusalem."

As Allen had said, he didn't have much that needed to be moved. After he had set the last of his things down, he stood in the middle of the room, looking a bit uncertain. Shelley glided across the room to stand before him. "Will you be all right?"

He blinked and looked down at the woman who was now his wife. "I'll be fine. I guess I'm just trying to absorb that it's not some dream I'm having," he said with a hint of a blush.

"No, it is far from a dream," she murmured and kissed him softly. "We are, for all intents and purposes, as married as two individuals can be, given the circumstances."

He threaded his fingers through hers. "I love you, Shelley. You made me happier than I've ever been in my whole life today."

She took her hand from his to slip her arms about his neck. "I love you in return, Allen." She gave him a mischievous smile, which caused him to grin at how out of place it seemed due to how serious she always was. "If you are willing, would it not be a good idea to…?" She trailed off, but Allen knew where she had been going with the question.

"I think it's a good idea, since we agreed to wait until we were married. Now we are, so we could possibly get working on starting a family," he whispered in her ear. He pulled her close to him and kissed her gently. He drew back, sighing. "I know I told you I'm not very experienced in this area, but…"

She brought a finger to his lips. "I will not allow you to worry at this point in time, Allen Ridgeley. I shall simply kiss you until you stop."

"I can live with that," he said with a smile, and then they became lost in one another's kisses and caresses. As things progressed further, she led him toward the bed. He looked to her to see what she wished for him to do, and she gently pressed him down so that he was sitting on the bed. "You're sure?" he asked quietly, and she nodded at him, her eyes soft.

"Yes, Allen, I am very sure." There were no more words spoken after that, and he pulled her into his arms. Their mouths met as their hands drifted. It wasn't long before their passion was spent, and they were lying in one another's arms. Shelley smiled with quiet joy as Allen tenderly smoothed the hair out of her face. "I love you so very much," she told him.

"I love you just as much," he responded, moving slightly to give her another kiss. They fell asleep within each other's embraces, basking in the happiness the day had brought them.

On the upper level, within Jr. and Shion's cabin, Shion was curled up against Jr. as his hand stroked over her back. "I wonder how long it'll be before we lose our status of being the only parents aboard the ship," he mused to her.

"I wouldn't think it will take all that long. I know for a fact Allen wants children, and he told me Shelley wants them, too. So I'm reasonably sure that soon enough, they'll have an announcement like we did," she answered, kissing his shoulder. She fell silent for a bit, and if he hadn't seen her eyes were still open, he would have believed she had fallen asleep.

"What's got you so lost in thought, sweetheart?" he asked, his hand caressing her bare stomach. Although there was a small worry growing in the back of his mind that she had yet to become pregnant again, he hadn't spoken of it to her. He wanted to wait a little longer before he allowed the worry to become full-fledged fear. She had told him that nursing Ayame might keep her from conceiving as rapidly as she had before, at least according to information she'd discovered via the UMN.

"I was thinking about the Simple Dive Unit, actually," she told him and laughed quietly when he turned a confused face her way. "You look adorable when you give me that expression," she teased, and he gave a mock-growl before he caught her chin in his hand to kiss her. When they parted, she moved to lay her head upon his chest. "I was thinking that maybe Allen and Shelley could have somewhat of a honeymoon through an Encephalon dive."

"That's an idea," he said with surprise. "And it's one I bet they'd both like. The problem is, who would watch over the dive to make sure nothing goes wrong? Allen's our dive expert, isn't he?"

"Well, yes, he is the one who knows the most about it, considering he always had to watch over me when I dove for the testing with KOS-MOS. I'm pretty sure that the Professor and Scott know quite a bit about it, though. I'll ask them first thing tomorrow morning to make certain, and if I'm right, I'll run the idea by Allen and Shelley to see what they think." She gave a contented sigh as he shifted a piece of errant hair out of her face.

"I'm sure they'll think it's a great idea. Makes me kind of wish for a belated honeymoon myself," he said with a smirk. She rolled her eyes at him but stayed quiet. "It also makes me wish that I could trust myself to recreate an environment the way I want to, and that there wasn't so damn much danger involved in diving."

A confused expression settled upon her face. "Okay, now you've lost me, Jr. What do you mean by that?"

He stroked her cheek as he kidded, "You look so adorable with that expression on your face." She tapped him lightly on the chest, and he turned serious. "I was talking about the Durandal, sweetheart, and letting Aya see the ship I used to captain. Two things make that impossible; the first being, she's way too small to go on a dive and I'd never subject her to the dangers of it, and the second being, I doubt I could recreate it right. It's still pretty damn vivid in my head what my father did to it…" His eyes shut tightly against the images that speaking of it had wrought in his mind.

She shifted so that she was above him and leaned down to kiss him softly. "It's understandable that it's still in your head that way. Just don't blame yourself for what your father did. Maybe someday you can show Ayame when you feel you can remember it without so much pain and sadness."

He slid his arms around her waist tightly. "I love you, sweetheart," he said, fierce emotion in his tone.

She smiled gently at him before giving a small gasp. "You do take advantage of the fact that our daughter sleeps through the night now, don't you?" She lowered her head to kiss him as he chuckled quietly, and then only soft sounds were heard for a time.

Early the next morning, having left an exploring Ayame with Jr. in the cabin, Shion quickly headed down to the lower level to speak with the Professor and Scott. She glanced into the workroom to see that neither Allen nor Shelley were present, which didn't surprise her overly much when one took into consideration they were newlyweds. The Professor was complaining to Scott when she came up behind them. She coughed discreetly, and he spun to face her. "What are you doing here, girly?" he asked, his eyes wide behind his glasses.

"I have something I need to ask you, Professor…" She told him about her idea, worrying already what she would do if he either decided not to help or simply couldn't.

"Well, since Assistant #2 and Assistant Lavender are invaluable to me, I suppose I can lend my expertise. If it helps to get them back in here faster, I'm willing to do just about anything," he grumbled, annoyed.

"Thank you, Professor," Shion said with relief. "If they show up for breakfast, I'll tell them then. I don't want to disturb them right now." She left the room, and the Professor turned back to Scott, his complaining slightly less loud after the conversation with Shion.

Allen and Shelley arrived late to breakfast, which led to Jr. and Tony making jokes and being scolded by their significant others. Once they had eaten, Shion joined them after telling Jr. insistently he was to remain just where he was. "The two of you look very happy," she observed with a smile.

"Just getting married could have something to do with that," Allen said with a chuckle, and Shelley leaned her head back against him. "You didn't have to chain Jr. to the table, Shion. I think we've both gotten pretty used to the teasing we get from him and Tony."

"True, but I think you both deserve a break from it every once in a while," Shion replied, tossing a look back toward Jr. to make sure he hadn't moved. He had, but he'd become occupied with chasing after Ayame, who was now barreling around the lounge. "I had something I wanted to talk to the both of you about, if you don't mind."

Shelley sat up straight, a look of interest appearing on her face. "Of course we do not mind, Shion. What did you wish to speak of?"

"Well, last night a thought occurred to me, and when I spoke to Jr. about it, he thought it was a good idea, too. Usually that would make me forget about it," she said with a laugh, "but I'll run it by the two of you first and see what you think."

Jr. stopped by the table, an already dusty Ayame in his arms. "Hey, I heard that, sweetheart! So, were you planning on telling them sometime today?"

"I thought I told you that you weren't to come over here," Shion said with a loving sigh. She returned her attention to Allen and Shelley. "Anyway, I was thinking about the Simple Dive Unit and how you could possibly attempt a honeymoon through a dive. I remembered the Christmas gifts you gave one another, so you could always go fishing." She laughed.

Allen and Shelley gave each other surprised looks. "I think you're onto something, Shion," Allen said slowly. "If we did that, then Shelley would know whether or not she wants to be my fishing partner when we get to Lost Jerusalem." He grinned at his wife.

"While I am positive I will enjoy your favorite pastime, I will of course be happy spending time with you in a setting such as that. Thank you for suggesting this, Shion," Shelley said, leaning over to hug Shion.

"The Professor and Scott are willing to keep watch over everything to ensure that everything's okay, so all we need to know is when you want to dive. And please ignore Jr. and his grumbling. He's just upset because this wasn't thought of after we got married," Shion threw at him.

It was decided that the afternoon would be given over to Allen and Shelley's dive, and they met the Professor and Scott in the workroom. "Just try to be quick about it," the Professor snapped at them. "I've already lost Assistant Lavender for the last two days, and now today's the third. How is an old man supposed to work under those conditions?"

"We will try not to overstay our time," Shelley reassured him. "Thank you for agreeing to watch over us as you have."

"Yes, yes," the Professor said with a wave of his hand. "You might as well go and sit down, make yourselves comfortable." After everything had been taken care of, he cried, "Now remember you won't be gone long!" Allen and Shelley slumped against one another, and Scott busied himself keeping track of their vital signs and the construction of the Encephalon.

Allen opened his eyes to focus on what was in front of him, and he felt Shelley's hand slip into his. "Where are we, Allen?" she questioned.

"It's the place my dad always used to take us when he had the time to do stuff with us." There was no bitterness in his tone; he sounded merely matter-of-fact. "He was pretty busy taking care of the family business, and that meant he didn't have much spare time. When he actually took vacation days, he'd take us kids fishing for a while. I liked spending that little bit of time with him where he wasn't always worried about business. Got me away from my mom's awful cooking, too." He made a slight face.

"She did not know how to cook?" she said as she looked around, taking in the peaceful serenity of the lake and forest.

"It wasn't really that so much as she never made anything I could eat," Allen said with a laugh. "I had a habit of spending a lot of time at my grandparents because my grandmother made edible food. It's how she and I became so close. I was there all the time."

"That is something I do not understand, Allen. Why would she not make you food that you found palatable?" Shelley was genuinely confused that a mother could not find it within herself to take care of her son's basic needs.

"I'm not really sure, but my grandmother helped me survive." He gave another laugh before squeezing her around the waist. "And you tell me I'm the worrier." He led her toward the lake, although she walked slowly due to being lost in thought. He placed a hand under her chin gently. "I learned from my parents what I don't want to be like, and that's something. I know I haven't said all that much to you about my family, but that's only because I was considered the black sheep. I didn't want to be a part of the family business, so I was kind of an embarrassment."

"There is nothing embarrassing about you, Allen Ridgeley!" she said severely. "I am very proud to know you and be your wife!"

"And that's all that matters to me, Shelley," he told her softly, running a hand over her lavender hair. "I've come to terms with the past, which is why I told you what I just did. I never could do that before." He kissed her sweetly and then nodded his head in the direction of the boat tied at the dock. "Now I'd like to show you what I like about fishing and hope you get some enjoyment out of it, too. Oh, and I'd better tell you before we get in the boat that we have to talk as quietly as possible while we're out there. Fish can feel the sound through the water." He helped her into the boat once they had reached the dock and got her settled into a sitting position. "Phew, at least I remembered to reconstruct everything we'll need." A relieved look crossed his face as he examined the contents within the boat.

He took the oars and placed them in the water. "I'll just row us out into the middle. We should be able to catch quite a few, since the water looks more active with the ripples over there." While he rowed, he watched her as she glanced around. "So, what do you think so far?" he asked nervously.

"It is such a beautiful, peaceful environment, Allen," she replied. "This must be a wonderful place to come and think."

"Yeah, it is. This was my own personal Encephalon space that I'd retreat to when I needed some alone time. It's been a while, but it's good to see I haven't forgotten it. Okay, I'm going to secure the boat so we don't move while we fish. After I do that, I'm going to attempt to teach you the basics. I can't guarantee I'm any good as a teacher, though," he told her, grinning.

He spent some time showing her what she'd need to be able to lure fish, and once he had her set up, he advised her to watch closely as he cast. "Just keep an eye out, though. I admit to knowing what I'm doing, but I don't want to see you get hurt. Once I cast my line out, I'll reel it back in and we'll give yours a try." Shelley barely moved, but her eyes were trained on Allen as he cast the line out. She watched as he reeled the line back in slowly. "If I reel it in too fast, it'll disturb the fish. I'd really like to see one of us catch something since we're here." After he'd finally reeled the line back in completely, he asked her to try doing as he'd just done. He wasn't all that surprised when she did it perfectly on her first try. "That was perfect, Shelley! I'm getting the feeling you won't be needing me," he joked.

"Of course I will, Allen," she reassured him quietly. "I enjoyed watching you do something you so obviously love." They were quiet for a few minutes as they waited to see if any of the fish would cooperate. "Oh! Does this mean I may possibly have a bite?" Her eyes widened as the fishing pole bent in her hands.

"Looks that way," Allen said with a grin. He moved behind her carefully, avoiding rocking the rowboat. He slipped his arms around her to grip the fishing pole as well. "I'm sure you'd be able to reel it in on your own, but do you mind if I help?" he murmured in her ear.

She shook her head with a smile. "I would not mind at all," she replied. They reeled the fish in slowly, Shelley giving a surprised gasp at how strongly it was fighting them. "I did not realize quite how strong one single fish could be."

When they had finally reeled the fish completely in, Allen released his hold reluctantly on Shelley to grab the net and slide it beneath the fish. "We're going to just tether him underwater for now. We won't be bringing anything out when we leave, but I'd still like to show you what needs to be done."

After a few hours more spent enjoying one another's company and catching a fair amount of fish, Allen asked Shelley if she was ready to return to shore. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Yes, I believe I am, Allen. Although I am loathe to abandon something that I find I have grown to love already."

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, smiling. "So does that mean I have myself a fishing partner?"

"Indeed, you do," she replied with an answering smile. He rowed them back to shore after he'd released the fish they'd caught and helped her out of the rowboat. "We do not need to leave quite yet, Allen. I would very much like to walk for a while with you and enjoy the rest of this place you love."

He took her hand and began walking, pointing out certain things along the way. "See that tree sitting back from the rest? That used to be my thinking tree. The way the branches tilt down, I could sit under it and think without anyone realizing I was there. It's where I'd go when Dad started talking about the business with my brothers. He never seemed to notice I wasn't around for those conversations."

"Allen, hearing you speak of your family makes me feel very sad," Shelley said softly, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. "Why did they treat you so?"

"I think it's because I just never really fit in with their ideals. I was fine being me, but they weren't happy with who I wanted to be. I loved them, but in the end, I just needed to get away from it all and do what I wanted to. It's why I ended up going to Bormeo. I don't want you feeling sad, though, okay? I don't ever want to be the cause of you feeling that way," he said, his tone fiercely protective as he pulled her close.

"You most certainly are not the cause of it," she told him just as fiercely. "It is because I love you as much as I do that I feel such sadness. I do not understand how a family could possibly do what was done to you. Feel secure in the knowledge that I shall allow any children we might be blessed with to be who they wish to be."

"And I'll be backing you up," he said, stroking her hair. He glanced around and sighed. "Looks like we're being called back. I guess we can tell Shion she had a pretty good idea?"

Shelley smiled. "Yes, we should tell her so." Not long after that comment, they found themselves returned to the workroom. Allen helped Shelley to her feet, and they turned to the Professor and Scott. "Thank you for keeping watch over us for that length of time, Professor."

"Well, now that the whole blasted day is nearly over with, we might as well forget about getting any work done. I expect to see the both of you bright and early tomorrow morning! Now get yourselves upstairs to eat, and we'll be right behind you!" he ordered, shooing the bemused couple out of the room without waiting for an answer from either of them.

They discovered they had returned not long after dinner had started, and they hurried in to join Shion at the table she was sitting at. She was watching Jr. with an amused expression upon her face as he followed a crawling Ayame. "Oh, the two of you are back!" she exclaimed, catching sight of them out of the corner of her eye. "I told Jr. it was his turn to chase after Ayame since I had to keep her out of everything in the cabin. So, how did everything go? Did you have fun?"

Allen slid his arm around Shelley's waist. "I think we both can honestly say we did, Shion. Thanks for coming up with the idea," he told her, smiling.

"I just thought the two of you deserved a little time alone. I'm glad it all worked out." Shion glanced up as a panting Jr. arrived back at the table. "I don't see you laughing now, sir," she pointed out.

"Yeah...yeah," he said, trying to catch his breath. "She moves…too damn…fast." He gave a cooing Ayame a kiss on the top of her head. "Whew, I think she's gonna…be real damn active." He took a deep breath and managed a tired grin at Allen and Shelley. "Had a good time?"

Shelley nodded. "Yes, and we have just thanked your wife for thinking up the idea for us. I have discovered that I quite enjoy fishing." She leaned back against Allen.

"You know, sweetheart, it would have been nice if you could've thought this up for us," Jr. complained, and Shion rolled her eyes at Allen and Shelley. After noticing he was being pointedly ignored, Jr. gave up and moved closer to his wife while Ayame reached out to Uncle Allen. "Yeah, that's it, Allen. How about you take her and chase after her for a while? You gotta get the practice in, right?"

Allen and Shelley both laughed, but it wasn't long before Allen was doing exactly as Jr. had asked. Shelley watched him with a contented smile, hoping that soon he'd be able to chase after a child of their own.

Later on, after they'd returned to their cabin and Shion had changed Ayame into her pajamas, Jr. laid her down in her crib a few minutes after she'd fallen asleep on him. As was his usual custom, he placed a hand on her back in a gentle caress and told her to sleep well. _She appears s__o __very __innocent __at the moment_, Albedo sniffed.

Jr. jumped slightly, not having sensed the arrival of his brother's presence. "What's that supposed to mean?" he hissed.

_It means, dear __brother, that__ thankfully she is not in motion while she is sleeping. __Your__ chasing her about tires even me out. I do believe it would have been simpler if the new arrival continued to lie about._

"Albedo, she's six months old," Jr. said, exasperated. "When the hell are you planning on calling her by name? The whole 'new arrival' thing is really wearing thin."

_When she proves to me she is worthy of having me call her by name_, Albedo replied haughtily. _That shall never happen, so I need not worry.__ I apologize for the rather short visit, Rubedo, but I am in desperate need of sleep after your antics in the lounge. Good night._

"Fighting with Albedo again?" Shion said teasingly as she came up behind Jr.

"When aren't I?" he joked. "I think he was trying to tell me in his own weird way that he's happy to see her crawling. I think she's starting to grow on him. Of course, I'll never hear him admit it." He slid his arms around her waist. "Enough about my pain-in-the-ass brother. Ready to get to bed? I know I am." He winked at her. The prim look she shot him didn't last long after he'd led her to the bed and pulled her into his embrace.

**Author's note 2 – **Yep, lots of Allen and Shelley in this chapter! Hope you all enjoyed it! And I'd like to once again thank Princess Artemis for her help with the fishing scene, since I have no idea how to fish myself. Darn Allen for having a hobby I know nothing about! XD


	33. Time Passes & Worries Soothed

**Author's note ****–**This chapter starts a month after the last one finishes, but I'll shift time again within it to keep the story going. Just bear with me, since I like to think I know what I'm doing. XD

Jr. picked up Ayame as Shion came out of the bathroom, toweling her hair dry. "We'll just wait for your slowpoke of a mother to get dressed, and then we'll head to the lounge for breakfast," he told her. She gave a small giggle and pointed at Shion. "Yep, that's your slowpoke of a mother, all right. Hey, we're gonna leave you behind, sweetheart!"

Shion hurriedly pulled on a flattering dark purple shirt and black leggings. "I'm aware that you're hungry, Jr. Would you rather I come with you barely dressed?" She held up a hand. "Don't answer that, please. Okay, are you ready to have some breakfast with us?" She moved toward Jr. and took Ayame from him. "Oh, Mommy hasn't put your hair up yet…"

"Shion, you can put her hair up once we get to the lounge. I'm sure she's just as hungry as I am, especially since she's been eating some solid foods now and nursing less. Let's go." Jr. took hold of his wife's hand and led her out of the cabin as she shook her head at him.

They entered the lounge, and Jr. grinned when he saw Allen and Shelley were on kitchen duty. "That means we're eating good, little one," he told Ayame, who giggled again. "I'll go quick make your cereal while you and Mommy sit down. Then again, I'll bet either your Uncle Allen or Aunt Shelley already has that covered." He disappeared into the kitchen, only to return seconds later with a small bowl. "Yep, your Aunt Shelley was already ahead of us. They're almost done with our breakfast, so we'll feed you first." While Shion held Ayame in her lap, Jr. fed her, playing "spaceship" as he did so to keep her amused.

After all the adults had eaten, everyone got to their feet. Shion handed Ayame over to Jr., saying, "I'm just going to try working with the Professor for a few hours. I can't leave Ayame for long, because I'm just not ready to yet. Just keep a close watch on her, because she's been hanging onto things and pulling herself up."

Jr. reached out to touch her face, grinning. "Since I live in the cabin, too, I know what the little one's been up to, sweetheart." She gave him a rueful look. "Aya and I will be fine. We're going to read for a little while, aren't we?" Ayame clapped her hands together happily. "So you go on ahead, and we'll see you when you're done. We'll probably be on the bridge, though, checking on things."

"All right, I'll check there first," Shion replied, leaning forward to kiss Ayame and then rising up to kiss her husband. She had just turned away when she heard the word, "Dada." She spun back to face her daughter and saw a look of amazement on Jr.'s face. "What did you just say, sweetie?" While Ayame was very advanced in nearly everything, according to Charles, she hadn't made much of an effort yet where speaking was concerned. She used pointing to have her needs taken care of, despite Jr. and Shion working with her to attempt simple words. She loved to jabber nonsensical words, but she had so far resisted saying "Dada" or "Mama." Shion pressed a hand against Ayame's back. "Sweetie, did you just say 'Dada'?"

Ayame looked up into Jr.'s face and raised her hand to his cheek. She stroked it gently and said again, quite clearly, "Dada."

Shion saw Jr.'s jaw work and tears start to glisten in his eyes. She turned her head and said softly to those who remained in the lounge, "Could we just have a few minutes?" Allen and Shelley nodded and helped to shoo Mary and Tony from the lounge, Mary protesting loudly as she was pushed out the door. "Sweetie, you've said your first real word! And you've almost got Daddy crying over it." Shion moved close to Jr., and he slid an arm around her waist as he took a few deep breaths.

"Daddy's just a little…overwhelmed right now, Aya," he choked out, and she stroked his cheek again. He pressed a kiss to her forehead as she cooed softly.

"Now we can't be sure that she's using the word correctly, Jr.," Shion said quietly, hating to remind him of what Charles had told them. "Charles said she might begin using 'Mama' and 'Dada' but without knowing which word applies to which one of us."

"Yeah, I know," he replied just as quietly, but his eyes were focused completely on his daughter. "Is he right, Aya? Do you know which one I am?"

Ayame looked thoughtful for a second, her small face scrunched up. She then turned it to Shion and reached out her hand. Shion took it in hers gently. Ayame gave her a big smile and said, "Mama." Shion gasped, and it was her turn to have her eyes fill with tears.

"Ayame, you **do **know, don't you? Who is that?" Shion asked her daughter, pointing to Jr.

Ayame turned back to her father and touched his cheek with the hand her mother wasn't holding. "Dada," she said, her green eyes moving over his face.

Jr. grinned, two tears escaping and sliding down his cheeks. "And who's that, little one?" he questioned, removing his arm from around Shion's waist to point to her.

Ayame's attention returned to her mother's face. "Mama," she answered, her green eyes now very serious.

"Oh, sweetie, Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you!" Shion cried, and Jr. pulled her close as the small family shared a very important moment in Ayame's life. Ayame giggled and bounced happily in her father's arm, chanting "Mama" and "Dada" as Jr. and Shion kissed one another, their tears of happiness intermingling.

"We allowed back in yet?" Mary had popped her head into the lounge, and Shelley's upset whispers could be heard behind her. "Ah, Shelley, I gave 'em plenty o' time, so just hush."

Jr. and Shion hurriedly swiped at their faces. "Yeah, you can come back in now," Jr. said with a laugh. "Aya's got something she wants to show you, anyway."

Mary was the first through the door, followed by a grinning Tony. Allen and Shelley walked in slowly, obviously worried they were intruding despite Jr.'s assurances. "We heard her sayin' 'Dada' before! So she's finally startin' talkin' then?"

"Give her a second and she'll show you what she can do," Jr. replied proudly. "Okay, little one, are you ready?" Ayame snuggled close to him, nuzzling her nose against his. "Who am I?"

Ayame pursed her small mouth for a few seconds and then said happily, "Dada!"

Mary started to clap, but Jr. held up a hand to halt her. "She's not done yet," he told her with a chuckle. "Now, little one, who's this standing next to us?" He gestured to Shion.

Ayame reached over to stroke her mother's cheek. "Mama," she said with a smile.

"That is amazing, Little Master," Shelley said, her eyes wide. "Not only is she able to say both words, but she knows which of you to apply them to. She continues to astound me with what she is capable of."

"Well, looks like she got the best of Shion and the Little Master," Tony cracked, and Jr. aimed a glare in his direction.

Shion said, straight-faced, "It's all she needed from her father, don't you think?" The glare was turned on her, but with much less heat involved. "I couldn't resist," she told Jr., and he made a face at her.

Allen spoke up. "The way she's going, she'll be up and walking next. Don't you think the two of you should tell her she's only seven months old?" he joked.

Hearing Uncle Allen's voice caused Ayame to turn her head in his direction. She reached out toward him, and Jr. handed her over. "Who'd have thought a daughter of mine would love you so much?" He and Allen grinned at each other.

After a few more minutes of everyone telling Ayame how proud they were of her, Shion said, "I think it's time that we get downstairs, Allen and Shelley. It's been a while since I've worked with the Professor, but I'm sure he's already unhappy because of how late we are. Come here, sweetie." She took Ayame from Shelley to kiss her goodbye for a while. Ayame's lower lip began to tremble, and her green eyes filled with tears.

"I'll keep her busy, sweetheart. She's going to have a hard time since she's never apart from either of us for all that long. Do you want to go and read with Daddy, little one?" Shion handed Ayame to Jr. reluctantly, her daughter's tears not sitting well with her. "I have a feeling you won't be gone long," Jr. said, kissing his wife quickly and giving her a gentle push in Allen and Shelley's direction.

Once the elevator had stopped on the lower level, Allen turned to a wistful-looking Shion. "Shion, maybe you should head back up," he said gently. "I don't think you're quite ready to leave Ayame for any real length of time."

Shion took a deep breath and moved out of the elevator. "No, I need to do this, at least for a little while. I know Jr. will look after her just fine…"

Shelley said sagely, "It has nothing to do with your doubting the Little Master's ability to care for Ayame, Shion. You are obviously missing her a great deal already. It would seem you are experiencing a comparable amount of separation anxiety."

"It's that obvious?" Shion questioned, heaving a sigh. "I'm just so used to having her near me. If I'm not holding her or managing to stow her away in the backpack, Jr. is holding her close by or she's crawling about where I can see her. Now I'm down here, planning on being away from her for a few hours, and it's making my heart ache."

They arrived outside the workroom, and Allen laid a hand on Shion's arm to stop her. "I've got an idea," he told her. "Why don't you only work for an hour or so today? That way, you can get back into things, but you won't be away from Ayame for that long. It'll make the both of you happy."

Shion glanced at the Professor, who was glaring at them and motioning for them to hurry inside. "He won't like that idea," she said slowly, "but he's going to have to accept it. I'm just not ready to be away from Ayame for very long."

Once the three of them had entered the room, the Professor snapped, "And why are the three of you so late? We've got important work to do here! How will I ever finish my brand new Erde Kaiser so that I can unveil it to the bumbling crew aboard this ship if my assistants refuse to show up on time?!" He stopped ranting long enough for Shion to speak to him about leaving earlier. "Well, I can't expect you to abandon the baby girly, so I suppose it's acceptable."

"As to the reason we were late," Shion said, her eyes twinkling at his obvious soft spot for her daughter, "it had to do with Ayame. She said her first words in the lounge! She called me 'Mama' and Jr. 'Dada'!"

The Professor rolled his eyes. "So she's admitted publicly who her father is then? The poor child has my deepest sympathies…" Shion opened her mouth to say something, but she was pulled away by Scott to begin work in what had been their usual corner. No one heard the Professor mutter to himself, "I wonder how long it'll be before I have her talking about my robots…?" Glancing around to make sure he hadn't been overheard, he busied himself keeping an eye on his assistants as he again went over his plans for a new Erde Kaiser that had yet to gain its true name.

Shion was more than ready to leave after the hour had passed by. "If it's all right with you, Professor, can I keep this schedule until I'm ready to progress to a longer amount of time?"

The Professor shrugged. "If I say no, I'll look like an ogre, won't I? And I certainly don't wish for your husband to come tearing down to complain about my treatment of you," he replied, waving his hand dismissively.

"I'll see you two later," Shion said to Allen and Shelley. "Thank you for coming up with that idea, Allen. I'm sure Jr. won't be a bit surprised to see me already…"

Shelley smiled. "I honestly think he might be surprised you were able to remain here for this long, Shion. Now, you might wish to hurry to reunite with Ayame." Shion didn't need a second urging; she simply turned on her heel and hurried from the room.

She stopped by the bridge first, recalling Jr. had said he would most likely be there, but there was no sign of her husband or daughter. When she asked Captain Matthews, he shook his head. "Nah, he was in here earlier. Then your little one started getting into a few things, and he thought it'd be best to head out. I ain't really sure where he was planning on taking her, though."

Hammer turned his head in Shion's direction. "It sounded to me like he was planning to read to her, Shion. I caught something about books as he left."

--- Earlier (before Shion comes back to the upper level) ---

Jr. was curled up in his leather chair, reading to Ayame as she rested her head against his shoulder and sucked her thumb contentedly. He'd gotten quite a bit of use out of the books that Allen had given as a baby shower present, and Ayame seemed to enjoy the time she spent reading with Daddy. She cooed once he reached the end and closed the book. "Mommy may not understand why I like books, but you do, don't you? So what do you want to do now, little one?" Ayame lifted her head, her green eyes roaming around the room as she rubbed Jr.'s right ear between her fingers. "You want to get down and do some more exploring?" She bounced in his arms, and he laughed as he set her down. "I'm sure we'll be seeing Mommy again soon, if I was reading her right. And I know I was."

Ayame spent some time crawling around, and she grabbed her red dragon plushie along the way. Jr. chuckled as he watched his daughter tug the plushie behind her as she crawled. "I hope we never lose that little plushie," he muttered to himself, "or we'll be hunting down another one real damn quick." He blocked Ayame from moving down the few steps to the lower area of the cabin. "No steps yet, little one. I know there's not much to them, but it makes your mother and me nervous having you by them. Back that way." He herded a frustrated Ayame back toward the center. Pouting, she pulled herself into a sitting position and rubbed at her eyes, dropping her plushie unceremoniously as she yawned. "I see my little one is getting sleepy," Jr. told her. "You ready to take a nap?" Her head nodded toward her chest, and she jerked it back up, her nose starting to wrinkle.

"Okay, let me get your blanket…" For a brief second, Jr. turned to grab Ayame's sea-colored blanket out of her crib. When he turned back, his daughter wasn't in the spot she'd just been in. "Aya, where are you?" Dropping the blanket, he cursed himself for having turned away from her, even for an instant. His eyes searched every possible hiding space Ayame could have found. "Aya, you're starting to scare Daddy. Where did you disappear to?" He could hear the panic rising in his voice, and he tried to contain it so that he didn't frighten her. He heard a sudden tearing noise coming from the lower section of the cabin, and he hurried toward the sound. "There you are!" His eyes widened at the realization of what she had in her hands and was pulling apart blissfully. "Aya, no!"

She looked up at him, and she dropped the book she'd been pulling pages from. A page drifted to the floor as her eyes welled up with tears. Her lower lip quivered, and then she began to wail. Jr. rushed to pick her up and hold her close, his distress at seeing one of his books mutilated disappearing. "Oh, little one, Daddy wasn't yelling at you," he told her soothingly as he ran a hand over the hair he'd let down from its braided style. "Shhh, he didn't mean to make you cry." She snuggled into his neck, her sobs slowly turning into snuffles. He continued to stroke her soft hair, and she eventually pulled back to touch his face with a gentle hand.

"Dada?" she said, her tone questioning.

"I'm not mad, Aya. You're more important to me than that book. You just took me by surprise is all." He kissed her forehead, and she nuzzled him, her eyes sleepy. "You're tired, little one. How about we go grab your blanket and put you down for a nap?" It didn't take long for her to fall asleep on him after they'd sat down, and he was just putting her in the crib when Shion entered the cabin.

"Oh, she's asleep," she said, disappointment heavy in her voice. She approached the crib and ran her hand over Ayame's back, causing her to give a soft baby sigh. She turned to Jr., who slipped his arms around her waist. "How did you manage to tire her out already?"

Jr. recounted what the two of them had done, and he was shocked when Shion gave a small giggle as he told her about the book. "What's so damn funny?" he demanded.

"She's been after your books for a few days now, Jr. I just didn't expect her to ever get a hold of them, not with how protective you are of them," she said teasingly.

"Well, why the hell didn't you tell me?" he asked, appearing aggravated. "I would have moved them!"

She slid her arms around his neck. "Don't you remember what you told me in the lounge when I said something about her grabbing onto things and pulling herself up?" He looked lost, and she reminded him, "You live in this cabin, too, so I thought you were aware of it."

"Okay, okay. Point taken," he said with a sigh. "Ah, at least she got one of the books I enjoyed the least…" She rose up on tiptoe to give him a consolation kiss, and he tightened his arms about her waist. "Mmmm, that went a long way toward making me feel better." He grinned, lowering his head to nuzzle her neck. "So, you couldn't stay away, huh?"

"No," she replied honestly. "It's going to take me some time before I'm all right with spending time away from her. The Professor agreed that I could work an hour or so a day."

"At least he was reasonable, probably for the first time in his life," Jr. grumbled. "If he'd given you a hard time about it, he'd have been dealing with me."

"And he knew that," Shion answered with a smile. "That would be the reason he gave in on it. He still doesn't particularly want you down there."

He scowled. "I've got more damn reason to avoid him when you think about it. That freakin' nutjob has hit me over the head how many damn times?! And you wonder why I don't want Aya around him all that much." His gaze fell on his sleeping daughter, and he smiled as he watched her pull her plushie closer. "I'm going to head to the bridge to talk to Matthews for a while. I'll let you spend some quality time with Aya since you missed her so much."

She moved her hand to his cheek. "If I'm entirely honest with you, I missed my husband quite a bit, too. Shelley is lucky, because she spends half her day with Allen before she starts working on the bridge. I can't do that, simply because you and the Professor will never get along."

"Ain't gonna happen," he agreed as he returned to nuzzling her neck. "Maybe Matthews can wait for a little bit…"

--- Two months later ---

Ayame clung to the edge of the sofa as Jr. knelt down a few feet from her. "I know you can do it, Aya. Come on and walk to Daddy."

"Jr., I don't think she's ready to yet. You're going to be ruing the day she starts walking, and I keep telling you that," Shion told him, watching the scene before her with a smile playing on her lips.

"Doesn't mean I don't want her to do it," he answered. He focused his attention on his daughter again. "Not today, huh? Okay, no more pressure from Daddy." He chuckled as she moved slightly, clinging to her mother's leg since Shion was seated on the sofa. He stood up and took a seat on the sofa next to Shion, scooping Ayame into his arms along the way. "Besides, I think she's more than ready to start walking, sweetheart. She just needs something to get her to let go."

"Just don't pressure her, Jr. That's not the way we want her to start walking, you know." Shion pinned him in place with a stare. "We want her to walk because she's ready to, so promise me you won't rush her."

"Hey, you know I wouldn't do something like that!" he said strongly, pulling her close. "If I had any intention of doing it, I sure as hell wouldn't have just stopped, right?" Ayame made a strange sound, and Jr. looked confused when her tiny hand tried to cover his mouth. He shifted her hand enough for him to say, "What's up, little one? How come you're trying to keep me from talking?"

A thoughtful expression settled upon Shion's face. "Hmmm, I wonder if I'm right," she said slowly, and the confused expression was directed at her. "I'm getting the feeling your daughter might not like her father's sometimes not so nice language…"

"Are you serious? I didn't even say anything! All I said was 'hell,' and that's -" Jr.'s eyes widened as Ayame moved her hand over his mouth again. Shion looked triumphant, and he heaved a sigh. "Sweetheart, do you have any idea how long I've been talking like that?"

"I know you've been talking that way since I've known you," she replied disapprovingly.

"Yeah, I have been, and you never said a word about it! There's only one word you had an issue with, and I try really damn hard not to say it in your presence!" He took a gentle hold of Ayame's hand as it inched toward his mouth again. "Daddy's having a serious discussion with Mommy, Aya, so forgive him, okay?"

"I'm aware that I haven't said much, other than to ask you to refrain from saying that word. However, Ayame is obviously old enough to understand you're using words she doesn't like, so don't you think it'd be wise to keep an eye on what you say?" Shion questioned, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"Shion, I can't make any guarantees. It's how I talk, and you know that. I'll try to curb it around my little one, though," he conceded, stroking Ayame's freely flowing hair. He'd convinced Shion not to put it up that day, and he was enjoying it while he could because he seriously doubted Shion would leave it alone on a permanent basis. "Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about we head to the lounge? I may hate being on kitchen duty, but at least Aya has fun while we cook. What do you say, little one?"

There were the usual groans when Jr. and Shion appeared with dinner, and Jr. glared around the lounge. "Fine, fix your own damn dinner then," he groused. "I don't need to be your cook **and** your waiter!"

"It wouldn't be so bad if you'd learn to fix something that's not curry, Little Master," Tony said earnestly. "Even Mary and me are more diverse when we're stuck in the kitchen."

"Yeah, and nine times out of ten, we can't even eat the crap you cook," Jr. shot back. "Reminds me of the times I'd stay the night on the Elsa, and any one of you would cook. chaos wasn't kidding when he warned me none of you could cook a decent meal. Now you've just suckered Mary into your bad cooking, too. At least she can make a damn good dessert." He felt a yank on the leg of his jeans, and he looked down to see Ayame looking up at him. "Whoops, sorry, little one. You're gonna have to give me time." He swept her up into his arms, much to her delight. She giggled as he spun her around.

"Fun, Dada!" she cried. Since she had finally begun speaking two months ago, her vocabulary was constantly improving. She was able to say many words, even sometimes managing to string them together well. She never failed to amaze Charles with the reports Shion gave him, and he was confident she would be walking very soon. "More!" she demanded. At only nine months old, she never ceased to stop amazing everyone aboard the Elsa as well, including the Professor. They'd all begun thinking of her as their little princess, and every member had devised ways of spending time with her. They'd simply learned to do so when one of her parents was present, because she tended toward severe separation anxiety without at least one of them.

Allen and Shelley watched the display from their table, both sighing inwardly. Although it had been only three months since they'd gotten married, they'd been hoping for Shelley to become pregnant quickly. Their wish for a child of their own hadn't lessened any; in fact, watching Ayame interact with her parents had only deepened it. "She is such a good child, which does amaze me when one considers the Little Master is her biological father," Shelley said, if only to free herself from her sad thoughts.

"I'm surprised she's not walking yet," Allen replied, tightening his arm around her waist. He knew very well what she was doing, and he decided it was best to follow her course of action. "She's been cruising for quite a while now, so I kind of expected her to be before now."

"I do not think it will take much longer. She is more than ready, it seems to me, but she is afraid of letting go of her support." She sighed aloud as she watched Shion take Ayame, scolding Jr. affectionately about not swinging his daughter around unless he wanted to see her dinner again. "Is it wrong of me to covet what they have, Allen?"

"Not in the way you mean it, Shelley. You're only wishing for what I'm wishing for, too. Looking at Ayame reminds both of us how much we want a child. We may not have achieved that goal yet, but we will. I know we will," he told her, his tone gentle but strong.

"Yes, I believe we will as well." She leaned over to kiss him softly before resting her head against his shoulder.

Jr. picked up Ayame's plushie, and a sudden thought struck him. He hunched down and called, "Hey, Aya, look at Daddy!"

Ayame, who was busy clinging to Shion's leg, turned her head in her father's direction. "Plush?" she said, pointing to it and then herself. "Aya." She wasn't able to pronounce her name quite yet, so she called herself by what her father did.

"How about you try walking to Daddy to get your plush, Aya?" Jr. asked gently, wondering what she would do.

Shion placed a hand upon Ayame's head, giving Jr. a look as she did so. "Jr.…" she said warningly.

"I'm not trying to force her, sweetheart. I'm just seeing if she'll walk to me to get to her plush. If not, I'm fine with it. Stop worrying," he responded. His blue eyes returned to Ayame. "So, what do you think, Aya?"

Ayame looked up at her mother for a brief second and then back to her father. "Plush," she said again, reaching out a hand for it.

"It's right here, little one. I'm not going any further with it. I'm only a few steps away from you." Jr. held up the red dragon plushie while everyone focused on Ayame to see what she decided to do.

A resolute look appeared on Ayame's face, and she took a faltering step away from Shion. Her hand dropped from her mother's leg completely, and she took another step. No one said a word, fearing they would frighten her. Two more steps and she was in Jr.'s arms as he lifted her up into the air, cheering. "Plush," she said happily, cuddling it close as Jr. laughed.

"See that? You walked all on your own, Aya! Daddy knew you could do it! I'm so damn proud of you!" He chuckled as her tiny hand moved to cover his mouth. He removed it and kissed her forehead. "And here comes your doubting mother," he teased, and Shion made a face at him.

"Mommy's just as proud of you, sweetie! You took **four** steps all on your own!" She rose up to give Ayame a kiss on the cheek, and Ayame stroked her cheek gently.

"Mama, plush," she said, squeezing the red dragon plushie against her.

"Yes, you got your plush all on your own, Ayame." Shion reached up to place a hand against Jr.'s cheek. "So you were right after all. Do you feel vindicated now?" she teased.

"Yep," he told her loftily, and she laughed. "You know I would never try to rush her or do anything to hurt her, don't you?" His blue eyes met her green ones, and he slid an arm around her waist.

Aware that they had an audience who had seen more than enough displays of affection between them, Shion nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, I know that. You know I worry, though, about silly things. Now, why don't we take turns walking with Ayame until she feels she can do it all on her own? That should take all of five minutes." Jr. agreed, laughing, and Ayame kept her parents busy for a while as the rest of the people in the lounge watched.

Later on that night, as they were lying in bed, Allen sensed the disturbance in Shelley had grown since the scene in the lounge. He turned her face toward him. "Will you tell me what you're feeling?" he asked her gently.

She moved closer to him, and he slid an arm over her. "We have seen so many milestones in Ayame's life, Allen," she began quietly. "Will we ever be able to see them in a child of our own?"

"We talked about this up in the lounge," he replied, stroking a hand over her slightly tousled lavender hair. "I know we haven't been able to create a child yet, but we haven't been married all that long, either. We can't let ourselves get weighed down by worry."

She teased, "This coming from the sovereign of worrying?" She snuggled into his chest with a sigh.

"Yeah, it's pretty ironic, huh?" he said with a chuckle. His face turned serious, and he shifted to slide a hand beneath her chin and tilt it up. "How about you tell me what's going on inside your head so we can talk about it?"

Her purple eyes slid away from his blue ones as she turned onto her side, presenting him with her back. "Allen, I am afraid that it may very well be an issue with me."

He leaned down to kiss her shoulder. "What's an issue with you? We both want children, so you're not alone, Shelley."

She pressed back against him, shaking her head. "That is not what I was speaking of." She was silent for a time, and he moved to press a kiss to her temple. "Forgive me. I was simply gathering my thoughts."

"You don't have to ask for my forgiveness. I was just worried you might have fallen asleep on me," he said, a slight teasing note in his voice. He hated seeing her feel the way she was feeling at present.

"No, I am awake," she answered, turning her head for his kiss. "When I spoke of an issue with me, I was referring to my ability to become pregnant. Allen, what if I am unable to do so? Shion was able to conceive immediately, and yet I have not been able to do so. I worry that my body is not fit for carrying a child."

"Why would you even think that?" he questioned softly. "Shelley, we've only been married for three months. I don't think using Shion's pregnancy is a good example. I'm thinking most people aren't that lucky. We're falling under the normal category."

"That is the problem, Allen. I am far from normal!" Shelley cried passionately. "My body had endured horrible experiments for years until my rescue! I fear it has had an adverse effect." Tears began sliding down her cheeks, and Allen, feeling the heaving of her slender body, turned her to him.

He slid his arms around her waist and stroked her hair as she cried, whispering words of comfort to her. He didn't think it was wise to attempt to continue their conversation while she was so emotional. Finally, the tears began to taper off and her breathing to even out. He caressed her cheek with his thumb. "Maybe the best thing you can do at this point is talk to Charles. He's a doctor, so he'd have an answer for you. We can talk to him together tomorrow."

She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Would you be upset with me if I spoke to him on my own?"

He replied, "Of course not. Just don't forget that if you want me to be there, all you have to do is tell me." He framed her face in his hands and lowered his head to kiss her. "I love you, Shelley Ridgeley."

"I love you in return, Allen Ridgeley." They curled up in one another's arms and managed to fall into a somewhat restless sleep.

After speaking to the Professor at breakfast and informing him she would be somewhat late arriving to work, Shelley slipped out of the lounge. She quickly headed toward the UMN terminal. She'd asked Shion for the coordinates to the Dämmerung before she'd left the lounge because it had been quite some time since she'd spoken to Charles. The Little Master had asked why she would need to talk to Charles, but she'd made a quick escape before he'd been able to wheedle an answer from her. She keyed the coordinates in and waited for the communication signal to be picked up. "Miyuki, I was not expecting you to be the one to receive my transmission," Shelley said, surprised.

"Hi, Shelley!" Miyuki cried. "Yeah, well, since I don't need to avoid MOMO anymore, I've been working a whole lot less." Her tone was conspiratorial, and Shelley lifted her eyebrows.

"I am not quite sure what to say to that, Miyuki, so I will instead ask a favor of you. Would it be possible for you to find Charles so that I may speak with him? Please reassure him that it has nothing to do with Ayame. It is a personal issue for me." Shelley wasn't positive that Charles would instantly think of Ayame, but she wished for him to know that he didn't need to worry about her.

"Oh, I can go and get him. I'm pretty sure he just finished up his rounds, and he was headed to meet Melissa in the cafeteria. I'll go grab him for you. It was nice seeing you! Could you just tell Shion she'd better contact me soon? I haven't seen Ayame in ages!" Once Shelley had agreed to say something to Shion, Miyuki left on her quest to find Charles.

It didn't take very long for Charles to appear on the monitor. "Hello, Shelley. Miyuki told me you had a need to speak to me about something. What would that be?"

Shelley took a deep breath and glanced around. She doubted she had much time despite having skipped having breakfast to speak to Charles. "I do not wish to bother you, Charles, but I have been worrying about something. Allen suggested that I speak to you about it."

"If it has been worrying you, then please don't hold it in any longer. I'll stay quiet and simply allow you to talk. Once you've finished, I'll offer whatever I can," Charles said gently.

"Thank you very much. I am not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Allen and I have been married for three months now," Shelley started. Charles nodded. "We would very much like to have a child, but it seems I have been unable to conceive as of yet."

Charles held up a hand, indicating he wished to say something. "Shelley, I feel the need to ask you a question at this point. Are you basing this upon how quickly Shion conceived?" Shelley glanced away. "That's not something you should be doing. When we consider you and Allen have only been married for three months, that's not much time at all. The fact that Shion became pregnant as rapidly as she did is due to sheer luck."

"I understand what you are saying, Charles. However, I have another issue besides using Shion as an example. I do not believe I have ever spoken of my past with you?" Charles shook his head slowly and waited for her to continue. "I was, baldly stated, a laboratory guinea pig. I had many experiments performed upon me in the name of research, and, as a result, my genetics have been greatly changed from what they originally were. I fear that might very well interfere in my ability to conceive." While Shelley sounded very calm and matter-of-fact, she was trembling inside.

Charles appeared thoughtful for a moment. Finally he drew a deep breath and said, "I do not believe that makes it impossible, Shelley. It may make things more difficult for you than it would be for someone who was not genetically altered, but it should not keep you from conceiving altogether. In fact, Shion's husband is genetically altered himself, is he not? I ask only because he refuses to cooperate on that level." Charles' lip curled slightly, and then his expression evened out.

Shelley was quiet as she thought. She didn't wish to involve herself in the Little Master's business, but answering truthfully could better enable Charles to understand her situation. "Yes, the Little Master has been genetically enhanced. It is why you saw him as you did before, and then he changed so very drastically. I cannot quite explain it, and I do not believe it is my place to. If he does not wish for you to know the details, then it is not for me to tell you any more than what I have."

"I understand your feelings upon the matter. Now that you have confirmed my suspicions, I can safely say that if he was able to help conceive a child, you should be able to as well. It will, however, take a bit more time for you because you will be the carrier of the child, Shelley. And, once you have conceived, I immediately want to know so that I can keep an eye on you. Shion should have had care from the very beginning of her pregnancy, and she's very lucky that Ayame is as healthy as she is. I expect much better from you." He gave her a hard stare, and Shelley smiled back at him.

"You may trust that you will know, Charles. Now that we have spoken, I must say goodbye. I wish to have a rushed breakfast and hurry to the lower level immediately after. Thank you." She ended the transmission and made her way back to the lounge. Although she'd made it seem as though Charles' words had helped, she was still feeling very down. "I must now explain to Allen that it is indeed an issue with me, and that we may have a very difficult time having a child of our own," she sighed.

"Since when did you take up talking to yourself, Shelley?"

The voice made her jump, and she focused on the person it belonged to with some difficulty. "Little Master, what are you still doing here? Where are Shion and Ayame?"

"Shion begged to take Aya down to see that crazy old man," he replied, making a face. "I wanted to say no, but Aya seemed to want to go with her mother. So I gave in because she turned those damn eyes on me." He chuckled briefly, and then the laughter left him as he looked into Shelley's face. "Hey, I know you well enough to say something's really bothering you. I'm not going anywhere, so why don't you sit down and talk to me?"

"Are you certain, Little Master? I do not wish to bother you with my problems," Shelley said quietly.

"Shelley, does it look like I'm doing much of anything?" Jr. asked with another chuckle, moving his arm in a sweeping gesture. "I'm sitting here, waiting for my little one to return so I can spend some time with her. I'm not busy."

"Your mention of Ayame brings me to the issue I have immediately," Shelley started, and Jr. narrowed his eyes at her.

"You have a problem with Aya?" he asked, his tone low. He folded his arms across his chest, apparently ready to do battle with her if that was to be the case.

"Of course not!" Shelley returned strongly. "I adore Ayame as much as anyone else aboard this ship, and you well know it! No, my issue lies with my apparent difficulty in having a son or daughter of my own." She lowered her head as tears threatened.

"What the hell are you talking about, Shelley? You and Allen just got married three months ago! Unless the two of you were messing around before that, it sure as hell isn't time to start worrying yet."

Shelley turned pink with embarrassment. "Little Master, must you be so very crude about certain things?! You should not speak of things you need have no knowledge of!"

"Well, I was just trying to see if there was more reason to worry!" he defended himself. "If you guys haven't been, then three months isn't that long a time. That's all I meant!" Although his words weren't the most comforting, the look on his face as he slid his hand across the table to lay it on hers was. "How come you're so worried already?"

She bit her lip to keep the tears at bay. "Because I fear my past may very well be the cause of why I have been unable to become pregnant as of yet. It is why I spoke to Charles earlier. I was looking for a medical opinion that would soothe that fear."

"What did he tell you?" Jr. asked gently.

"He said that it would not be impossible for me, but that it would be more difficult than it would be for another who had not been genetically altered. He also warned me against using Shion as an example." She placed her chin on her hand, sighing.

"He's right, Shelley. I mean, it was just sheer damn luck that Shion ended up pregnant like that. Sheer damn luck that isn't goddamn repeating, either," he muttered. He lifted his hand to his forehead to knead at it.

"Little Master?" Shelley said, her tone questioning.

"Sorry, don't mind me. I'm busy feeling sorry for myself when I should be concentrating on you." He tried to smile but failed miserably.

"You are having an issue as well, are you not? I did not truly stop to think about it, but it may well be why I felt comfortable speaking with you. I am aware that you and Shion have been attempting to have another child. Shion has spoken of this with me." Shelley moved her hand to place over his.

"Yeah, we've been trying since Aya was a little over a month old. Eight damn months, Shelley, and Shion still isn't pregnant. What if it's something wrong with me? What if my father was right, and Aya was just some kind of anomaly? What if I can't give Shion the second child she wants?" Jr. looked tormented for a few seconds before forcing his expression to clear. "Damn, you didn't come in here to listen to me moan about my issues. It's you we're supposed to be talking about."

"Little Master, it would be very unkind of me not to listen to your fears as you have listened to mine. Strangely enough, however, your fears have caused me to put mine into somewhat of a perspective. Speaking to you about what has been troubling me has helped slightly more than my conversation with Charles." She smiled at him softly.

"How did I manage to help?" he asked, looking confused.

"I suppose it is because you and I face the same dilemma. You can, to some extent, understand the pain I am feeling. The difference between us, of course, is that you at least have one beautiful child already. Perhaps we just need to allow time to pass and see what the future brings us. That does not mean that I will not continue to wish for it to happen as quickly as possible, but I will force myself to stop my constant worrying. I suggest you speak to Shion about your fears, and I shall speak to Allen about my conversations with both you and Charles. It is likely that Shion may be able to soothe your fears far better than I am able to, Little Master." She squeezed his hand and stood up. "Thank you for listening. It means so very much to me that you did so."

"Right back at you, Shelley. Now I think I'll head down to the lower level and shake the old man up. I have a sudden, fierce need to see my wife and daughter. I'll see you later." He hurried out the door, and Shelley moved into the kitchen to fix herself a quick breakfast.

Shion was busy chasing after Ayame while the occupants of the workroom watched, laughing. "It's not…funny how fast…she is now," she panted, glaring after she'd finally scooped Ayame up in her arms.

"But it's funny to watch you chasing after her," Allen said with a grin, reaching out to take Ayame's hand. "Are you tiring your parents out?"

Ayame giggled before struggling to say something, her small face screwed up in concentration. She removed her hand from Allen's to touch his face. "Unca," she finally pronounced. Allen's face went perfectly blank with shock.

"Allen, I think she's trying to call you 'Uncle'!" Shion exclaimed. Her joy was short-lived as she heard the Professor speak up behind her.

"I don't recall giving you permission to set foot in here!" he thundered despite his diminutive size. "Get back to the upper level, where you belong!"

"I don't need your damn permission, old man," Jr. snapped. "I'm here to pick up my wife and daughter. You've got a problem with it, and I don't care. Understand me?"

The Professor began hopping up and down angrily. "Then take them and get out of my sight! While the girly and the baby girly are welcome here, their poor choice in a husband and father is not. Out, I say!"

Jr. strolled past him, obviously fighting to maintain his temper. He held out his arms, and Ayame moved into them, smothering him with kisses. "Yeah, I missed you, too. What's my little one been up to?"

"Jr., are you enjoying what you're doing?" Shion hissed. "What was the reason you came down here? You knew we'd be back up!"

"I missed the two of you a whole helluva lot. Don't think I'm going to give into him, though. Let him stand over there, acting like an idiot over the fact that I dared to invade his sanctuary," Jr. mocked, lifting an eyebrow at the Professor and causing him to sputter insensibly.

Allen spoke up to defuse the tension somewhat. "Jr., you didn't happen to see Shelley anywhere, did you? I know she was going to be a little late, but I didn't think she meant this late."

Jr. pulled his attention away from returning the Professor's glare to answer Allen. "Yeah, I saw her up in the lounge. We talked for a while, and then she headed into the kitchen to grab some breakfast while I headed down here. So she should be on her way pretty soon." While Ayame busied herself rubbing at her father's right ear somewhat sleepily, Jr. slid an arm around Shion's waist. "Are you going to tell me what you've been up to, or are you planning on giving me the evil eye for a while?"

She made a huffy sound, but she ended up relaxing against him. "I just wish you wouldn't antagonize him. Can't you be the better one?" There was no real response from him, although she hadn't truly been expecting one. "Anyway, Ayame's been walking around, getting into everything like she always does," she said affectionately, rubbing Ayame's back. "And she has a surprise for you, too."

Jr. turned his head to meet his daughter's green eyes. "You've got a surprise for me, little one? Tell me all about it," he told her, stroking her braided hair. He grimaced at Shion as he did so. "Sweetheart, how come you've got to put her hair up so much? She looks so pretty with it down…"

"Oh, stop complaining. Ayame likes to have her hair put up, don't you, sweetie?" Shion smiled as Ayame brought a hand to her hair, patting it. "See? Now why don't you tell Daddy what your surprise is?"

Ayame rested her head against her father's shoulder and brought her thumb to her mouth. "It's okay, Aya. You're tired, huh? Maybe after you take a nap, you'll tell me." Jr. pressed a kiss to her forehead and shifted her slightly. "You ready to head upstairs, sweetheart?" He squeezed Shion around the waist.

"Yes, since our daughter doesn't look like she'll be awake for much longer." She turned to Allen to say goodbye, and Ayame lifted her head.

"Bye-bye, Unca," she said to Allen, waving at him.

Jr. started and then gave a whoop as he let go of Shion to lift Ayame into the air. She giggled as he brought her back down to hold her close. "Somebody's said a new word! Allen, you should feel pretty important," he joked. Suddenly, he made a face. "Jesus, don't tell Mary she's said it. She'll be all pissed off because she didn't say 'Aunt' first." Ayame lifted a hand to his mouth with a sleepy protest. "Sorry, little one. I got a little too excited over you saying a new word. Forgive me?" She gave him a nuzzle before curling up against his shoulder again, sucking her thumb as sleep pulled at her.

"Are you going to put the baby girly down for a nap, sonny? Or are you going to stand there running off at the mouth like you're prone to do? Get going!" the Professor urged, waving at Jr. dismissively.

"You know, someday we're going to have serious words, old man," Jr. growled, but he allowed Shion to pull him from the room before the Professor could do more than roll his eyes.

It didn't take long for Ayame to fall asleep once they returned to the cabin, and Shion laid her down in the crib gently. She pulled the blanket up over her sleeping daughter and then turned to Jr. "Are you going to tell me what's been bothering you?" His look of surprise caused her to move close to him and slide her arms around his neck. "I may not be able to read you quite the way you can read me, but I can usually tell when something's wrong. How about you talk to me?"

He rested his head upon hers with a sigh. "You know," he mused, "it still feels strange to be able to do this. I was shorter than you for so long that the whole being taller now feels kinda strange."

She pressed closer to him. "You're stalling, and I can tell that you are. Did something happen in the lounge when you talked to Shelley? You seemed fine when I left with Ayame."

"The funny thing is, I've been playing at being fine for a while now. I've almost been able to convince myself like I've convinced you, sweetheart," he told her heavily. "But I'm not fine, not even close."

"Jr., you're scaring me," she replied, the fear obvious in her tone. "What's wrong? Is it us? Are you not happy with us?"

He tightened his arms around her waist and lifted her off her feet to give her an emotionally charged kiss. She slid her fingers into his hair and made a noise in the back of her throat as the kiss continued. When he finally lowered her to the floor, both were breathing raggedly. He removed one arm from around her waist to cup her cheek in his hand, and she leaned into it, looking up at him questioningly. "It's not us, sweetheart. Jesus, you and that little one fast asleep in her crib are everything to me. No, it's something that's been worrying me about me. I haven't wanted to say anything because I know you'll think I'm worrying over nothing."

"Tell me what's been worrying you. It's not 'nothing' if it has you this upset. You have to stop holding things in and talk to me, Jr. I can only help if you trust me enough to let me know," Shion said softly, turning her head to kiss the palm of his hand. "And you're talking to the one who used to use 'nothing' as her way out of talking about her feelings all the time. I should have known, because you've been saying that a lot lately when I ask why you look so far away."

"I learned from the best," he attempted to joke and earned a lifted eyebrow from her for it. "Okay, I'll stop hiding behind my jokes and tell you what's been going through my head. And I want you to know something." He lowered his head again to kiss her softly. "It's got nothing to do with me not trusting you, sweetheart. It has everything to do with me always wanting to project that tough guy image and act like nothing's ever wrong. I had to do that as the leader of the URTVs, and as captain of the Durandal. It's hard for me to set that aside sometimes."

"I understand that, but I don't want you bottling things up with me. Although it's my fault, too, for not seeing what I needed to see. We've been together for a little over a year and a half now, and I should have seen what you were doing. Now, please tell me what's been bothering you." She laid her head against his chest, and he held her close to him, stroking her hair gently.

"I've been thinking for a while on something, and I guess I'm starting to worry that my dad was right." Even without seeing her face, he could sense her eyebrows drawing together in confusion. "Shelley told me why she needed to talk to Charles, and it turns out we've got the same fear in common, sweetheart."

"What could the two of you possibly be worrying about? Jr., you've seriously got me drawing a blank. Why did she need to talk to Charles, anyway?" Shion questioned, moving her head enough so she could look up at him.

"It turns out that Allen and Shelley are actively trying to have a baby," he said, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, Shelley still isn't pregnant, and she's worried that her past may be the reason why. She wanted to talk to Charles to see if she was right."

"Oh, you mean because she was experimented on?" she said softly. Although she didn't know much about Shelley's past, she'd sometimes thought about what both Mary and Shelley must have suffered through. Knowing how she'd felt about her own past, she'd never attempted to talk to Shelley about hers. "Genetic alteration shouldn't cause that much of an issue, though. The Federation just wasn't happy with how it was becoming so commonplace."

"It depends on what's been done to you," Jr. said distantly. "Shelley had a ton of stuff done to her that really messed with her on a cellular level. She's not anywhere near who she was before they started those damn experiments. It was a pharmaceutical place that was testing on her, and they were just looking for damn results to get their stuff passed. It's not normal genetic enhancement she had done to her. It's why she's so freakin' worried. It also makes me wonder if that's the reason Mary won't have kids, beyond her saying she just likes babysitting. Maybe she's worried, too."

"That's true, although I never really thought to look at it that way. Did Charles help to calm her fears at all?" she asked, still confused as to why he was so upset over what had been bothering Shelley.

"Kinda, I guess. It was talking to me that calmed her fears more. I'm just as freakin' worried, Shion," he admitted.

"Worried about what? Worried about Shelley not being able to have children? It might take some time, but I don't think she's incapable." She fell silent when he lifted a finger to her lips.

"No, I'm worried about me. You want another child, sweetheart, and so do I. We've been trying almost every night since Christmas, and you're still not pregnant. Since we know it's not you, the problem has to be me." The torment that had briefly showed on Jr.'s face when he'd spoken to Shelley reappeared, and he bit his lip hard against the emotions raging through him.

Shion shifted in his arms and took his hand to lead him toward the bed. She helped him to sit down and sat beside him, sliding her arms around his waist and resting her head against him. "Jr.," she said quietly, "we have no proof the fault doesn't lie with me. Besides, your father couldn't have been right. We have Ayame as proof that he either lied to you, or just was completely wrong." She snuggled close to him. "And if we don't manage to have another child, I'll be all right with it. My love for you doesn't hinge on your giving me another child. I certainly hope you don't think it does."

He pulled her into his lap, tilting her chin up for a kiss. "I know it doesn't, sweetheart. And my love for you doesn't hinge on that, either. I'd just love to see you with a little guy in your arms. It wouldn't hurt to have the Kukai name live on, you know." He smiled, but it was strained.

"We still have plenty of time left to have another baby, Jr. I'm only twenty-five years old, and you're only twenty-nine. Of course, you have a lot more fertile time left than I do," she teased, and he chuckled quietly to keep from awakening Ayame. "So let's not worry yet. And let's not place blame when there's no need to. I hate to see you hurting, and I want you to promise me, once again, that you will tell me when something is bothering you."

"Once again? What the hell does that mean?" he said, caressing her back as his blue eyes slowly began to clear.

"It means that back when you finally held Ayame, I made you promise that you would talk to me about things. The third time is not going to be the charm," she said, tapping him on the chest. "This is the last time I should have to ask you to talk to me. No more trying to deal with it on your own. We're married, Jr., and I'm here to help you. Because I love you so very much."

"Sweetheart, I love you, too," he whispered, running his fingers through her soft hair. "And it'll be the last time you have to ask me to do that, I promise you. Shelley was right, you know. Talking to you made me feel a helluva lot better." He tilted his head to touch his lips to hers, and they contented themselves with kisses and caresses for the time being. It wouldn't be long until Ayame awoke from her nap. They'd been foolish enough to try to steal time for themselves before, and lately it nearly always had the tendency to backfire on them due to her shorter naps. "May not be able to do much now, but you just wait until tonight," he told her. She gave him one of her mock-prim looks, causing him to grin at her before he involved her in another kiss that quickly wiped the look off of her face.

Allen and Shelley's conversation, however, had to wait until later on that night. Allen hadn't wanted to make Shelley uncomfortable by having her discuss how it had gone with Charles in front of the Professor and Scott. After she'd come down from taking a shower in the men's cabin while the Elsa crew was on the bridge, he waited until she'd gotten into her short, satiny nightgown before speaking up. He started out with something simple to ease into it. "Do you think there's a way they could rig a shower stall down here for those of us living on the lower level?" he joked. "It gets a little crazy always having to head upstairs to take one."

Shelley turned to him with a smile. "Yes, it does become rather wearisome to do. I am not quite positive if they would be able to set up an actual shower stall on this level. Where would they stow it away?"

He pondered on it for a few seconds and then shrugged. "I'm not sure, but anywhere has to be better than forcing us to go to the upper level all of the time. Maybe in the old E.S. hangar?"

She moved close to him and raised her hand to touch his face. "I do know that the Captain, Tony and Hammer are capable of jury-rigging many things about the Elsa, so it may be possible. We shall have to speak with them about it tomorrow."

He slid his arms around her waist and kissed her tenderly. "Now that we've gotten that out of the way, how about we talk about how it went with Charles? If you want to, that is."

"Of course we shall discuss my conversation with him, Allen. You are as involved as I am, so why would I not wish to speak of it? He does not seem to think I am incapable of having a child. I did bring up the past I have, but he believes it does not pose an issue for us. I should correct that statement. He does not believe it will keep us from ever having a child. He did say we might have some difficulty, but we should succeed eventually."

"Jr. said he talked to you in the lounge afterward, and he seemed a little down. What happened there?" Allen gently tilted her chin up so he could look into her lavender eyes.

"I was not expecting to come across the Little Master when I entered the lounge. I was speaking aloud of needing to tell you the issue does indeed lie with me, and he happened to overhear. I suppose my emotions were written quite clearly on my face, because he asked if I would like to sit and talk with him. I informed him of my conversation with Charles, and he did his best to reassure me that I should not be worrying so prematurely. I then brought up Shion as an example, and that seemed to dishearten him. As you know, the Little Master and Shion have been attempting to have another child. I did not quite realize the length of time that has passed by, however. While it has only been three months for us, it has been eight for them. He seems convinced this is through some fault of his." She rested her head against his chest with a sigh.

"Did you tell him to talk to Shion? I know she gets a little crazy because he won't always talk to her when something's bothering him. Hey, at least now she knows how I used to feel when I'd ask her what was wrong and she'd give me her infamous response of 'nothing.'" He smiled slightly, though he wasn't making light of Shion's irritation.

"Yes, I did tell him it would be wise of him to discuss his fears with her. Seeing that he had a similar fear helped me to look at things a bit more wisely, Allen. There is no sense in worrying quite yet. It may very well take us a bit of time, but we shall someday have a child of our own. A playmate for Ayame, if you will. Of course, there is no reason we cannot continue trying to do so as quickly as possible. Do you not think so as well?" She lifted her head to give him a playful smile.

The pondering expression appeared on his face again before he took hold of her hand with an answering smile. "It keeps me close to the woman I love, so I've got no problem with it at all," he told her softly, and he led her toward their bed.

Late the next morning, after Shion had returned to the upper level from the workroom, she and Jr. were busy keeping an eye on Ayame in the area outside the cabins. They both felt there was less for her to get into, and it was more open for her to walk around. While Shion had started out attempting to hold onto her hands as she walked, Ayame had protested quickly, preferring to toddle along on her own. "She's doing things too fast," Shion sighed, leaning back into Jr.'s arms.

"Yeah, but it makes me proud to watch her," he answered, the smile obvious in his voice. "I'm beginning to wonder if we don't have a little genius on our hands."

"Well, she certainly wouldn't have gotten it from you," Shion deadpanned.

"Shows how much you know, sweetheart." He was quick to respond to the jibe. "I'm actually what could be considered a technological genius myself, not to sound all arrogant or anything. Could have stayed behind on the Dämmerung to help out, but then we wouldn't have Aya, would we?" He lowered his head to nuzzle her ear, and she rolled her eyes.

"You, sound arrogant? Why would I ever think that?" Seeing that Ayame was on her way back to them, she turned in his arms. "I am glad you didn't stay behind, though, and not just because we wouldn't have Ayame." They shared a quick kiss, and then they heard Hammer's breathless voice as he rushed toward them.

"Little Master, Shion, there's…a transmission…from the Dämmerung! You've got…to come to…the bridge!"

Jr. raised an eyebrow. "Who the hell's contacting us? Is it time for one of Aya's appointments already?" He felt the yank on his jeans and groaned. "Sorry, Aya. It's not going to happen overnight, little one."

"No, it can't be Charles. Is it Miyuki, Hammer?" Shion asked, looking confused.

Hammer bent over to catch his breath. When he straightened back up, he shook his head. "No, it's not Miyuki. You're not going to believe this, but it's MOMO!"

A flurry of emotions passed across Shion's face before it went perfectly blank. Seeing she was having trouble forming words, Jr. stepped in smoothly. "And who does she want to talk to, Hammer? There's no way she'd want to talk to me or Shion, so why are you telling us?"

"Because she asked to talk to you two. She didn't say much, just that she wanted to talk and could we please get the two of you for her. So of course the Captain nominated me to come and get you," Hammer said, making a face.

"Will you be okay if we go and talk to her, sweetheart? If not, then we don't have to go," Jr. told Shion gently, sliding an arm around her waist as Ayame hugged her leg.

"We do have to go, Jr., no matter how I'm feeling right now. We owe MOMO that much," she replied with a sigh. "Come here, sweetie. We have to head to the bridge." She leaned down to pick up Ayame, who arched in her arms.

"No, Mama!" Ayame shook her head, pointing to the floor.

"I promise that when we're done, we'll come back out and let you walk around. For now, you have to come with Daddy and me." Shion turned to Jr. while Ayame sulked in her arms. "Now let's hurry up and go before I lose my nerve. She's been waiting long enough as it is."

They entered the bridge, and Shion gave a small gasp at seeing MOMO's image. Jr. lightly propelled her forward. "Come on, sweetheart. We can't stand back and gape at her. She said she wanted to talk."

MOMO's golden eyes widened when they stopped before the back of Tony's pilot seat. "Jr., is that you?" she breathed.

He nodded shortly. "Yeah, it's me. Guess I've changed since you last saw me…" He bit his lip, remembering that the last time she'd seen him was when she'd learned the entire truth about his and Shion's relationship.

"You look so much like Gaignun and…Al-Albedo now," MOMO said quietly, her voice catching on Albedo's name. "It's a little difficult to put the you I knew together with the you standing in front of me."

"I'm still me," he said, keeping his eyes focused anywhere but on hers. "I just look and sound different now. Really haven't changed in personality, though."

MOMO nodded and allowed her gaze to rest on Shion. "That would be Ayame?" she asked in a nearly inaudible voice. Not trusting herself to speak, Shion simply nodded. "Charles and Miyuki both said she was very small, but I didn't realize… She's very beautiful," MOMO whispered, sounding slightly sad.

"Thank you," Shion replied, closing her eyes against the tears that rose instinctively. Although her mind was screaming at her to apologize to MOMO yet again, she knew that wasn't what MOMO was looking for. Instead, she waited for MOMO to take the lead and say what she'd contacted them for.

"Please don't think you need to leave," MOMO said quickly to the Elsa crew as they headed toward the door. "It's up to you, but I don't want you to think I'm forcing you to go."

Matthews brought a hand to his mouth and coughed. "I think it'd be better if the three of ya had your chat without us. Looks like you need your privacy and all." He shoved Hammer and Tony with muffled threats of violence, and the door closed behind them.

"I'm sure you're both wondering why I asked to talk to you," MOMO started. "It's been nine months since I last saw you. I've done a lot of thinking over that time. As hurt and upset as I was over the fact that you lied to me for so long, I miss the both of you so much. I've been missing you for a while, but I just wasn't ready to face either of you. There's still a lot I have to get past, but I really want to take steps toward rebuilding our friendship."

"MOMO, if you're not quite ready, I understand," Shion said, busying herself with brushing Ayame's stray hair out of her face to keep MOMO from seeing the tears in her eyes. "What we did…no, what **I** did, was something that -"

MOMO shook her head gently. "Shion, if we're going to move on, we can't dwell in the past. I've worked hard at trying to forgive you, and I want to keep moving forward. It's going to be awkward in the beginning, but I think we'll eventually get past that."

Jr. asked quietly, "What about the old man and Juli?"

MOMO sighed, bringing her hands together in front of her. "They're not ready to yet, Jr. To be honest, they're not happy that I wanted to do this, but I insisted that I knew it was right. Ziggy and Mommy will come around, but it's going to take more time."

"It's because we hurt someone very special to them," Shion said with a sad smile. "I can understand why they feel the way they do." She was quiet for a time, and then she glanced up at MOMO. "I've missed you, MOMO."

MOMO nodded, her eyes slightly misty. "I know. I'm going to have to get going now. I'm not sure how much I'll be in contact at this point, but I'll see you again soon. Goodbye." She ended the transmission after Jr. and Shion had responded with their own goodbyes.

"Do you think we'll be able to make things right?" Shion asked Jr. as he pulled her back against him, and Ayame fretted in her arms.

"I don't think that's what she's looking for, sweetheart. She just wants to move on from here. We can't make right what we've already done wrong. I just wish the old man wasn't still…" Jr. sighed and laid a hand on Ayame's head. "It's okay, little one. We'll head back out in a minute."

"Ziggy and Juli are just feeling the way we would if someone hurt Ayame the way we hurt MOMO." Shion pressed a kiss to the back of Ayame's head.

"Down, Mama!" Ayame demanded, turning her head to pin Shion with her green-eyed gaze.

"Yeah, I know. Guess I can't blame him there, huh? I know I'd be mad as hell if someone hurt my little one," Jr. said, stroking Ayame's hair. "How about it, Aya? Ready to get back to walking around and getting into trouble?"

Ayame said succinctly, "Fun!" and pointed toward the door. The family of three headed out to tell the Elsa crew it was fine to return to the bridge, with Ayame leading the way to the lounge.

That night, after Ayame had fallen asleep and Shion was deeply asleep upon his chest, Jr. stared off into the dimness of the cabin. He stroked his wife's hair slowly, awaiting the visit he knew wasn't long in coming.

_How unfortunate that I wasn't able to take you unawares this time_, Albedo mocked lightly. _So, are you busy pondering just why ma pêche decided it was time to reconnect with two former friends of hers?_

"Not really," Jr. replied quietly, running his fingers over Shion's bared back and causing her to sigh.

_Must you do such things when I'm in residence, Rubedo? It's enough to know that you and the princess were…involved in certain activities before. I'd prefer you not awaken her to resume them_, Albedo said distastefully.

"I'm not trying to, Albedo. I'm touching her because I love her; not because I'm looking to satisfy my 'baser needs,' as you like to refer to them." Giving into his brother, he returned to simply stroking Shion's hair. "I just figured you'd be around tonight, since MOMO made an appearance. I know you can't resist making a comment where she's concerned."

_How well you know me_, Albedo said, his tone still lightly mocking. _It's simply that I'm surprised she's able to find it within herself to forgive you and the princess your transgressions. No, if I were to be honest, I am not at all surprised. She did, after all, ask you to say hello to me when I awakened within you, so her capacity for forgiveness must be rather endless. She has reestablished contact with you, and yet you still seem uneasy about something. What disturbs your mind, dear brother?_

"I just wish the old man had been with her," Jr. said heavily, somewhat stunned that he was answering Albedo truthfully. "I understand why he wasn't, though."

_Your group is tight-knit, Rubedo. It may take time for the __cyborg__ to come around, but you will see him again. Ma pêche will see to it. You know as I do that she doesn't like discord. I've used it against her in the past to great effect. So allow some time to pass, and you will see that I am, as usual, right__. Now, if you would be so kind as to allow your mind to settle, it would greatly aid in allowing me to seek oblivion in sleep._

"Why do you spend so much time sleeping, Albedo? I never asked you to hide away inside me. And you know Shion knows all about you. So why do you do it?" Jr. continued to stroke Shion's hair as he waited for Albedo to respond.

_Because the less time I spend awake, the less chance your offspring will discover I exist._ Albedo's consciousness disappeared after that cryptic answer, leaving Jr. shaking his head in confusion. Knowing Albedo wouldn't be back that night, Jr. shifted Shion enough so he could pull her close and then fell asleep not long after.

**Author's note 2 – **For those thinking Ayame is far too young to be saying the words she is, there is a point to her doing so, I promise. Also, I wasn't truly planning on bringing MOMO back in this chapter, but she spoke up in my head. Since nine months seemed like a long enough time for her to think things over and then want to attempt reestablishing a friendship with Jr. and Shion, I listened to her.


	34. Two Times The Trouble

**Author's note – **Again, I've shifted time ahead. Ayame is now 18 months old, so that's a nine month passage. I know that skips over the milestone of her being a year old, but it will get casually mentioned somewhere in this chapter so you know what happened. I have ideas in my head that can only work with time shifting, and as I've said, I don't want to constantly get bogged down in just the everyday things. On with the chapter!

"Hey, little one," Jr. greeted his daughter as her head popped up out of her crib. Ayame was down to only one nap during the day, and it rarely lasted very long. He reached into the crib to pick her up, and she snuggled into him. "Ready to get back to exploring?"

"Is she up already, Jr.?" Shion said with a laugh as she left the bathroom. "I think that might be her shortest nap yet." She came to stand beside him, placing a hand on Ayame's back. "You let her hair down again before you put her down," she accused, stroking her hand over Ayame's near waist-length red hair.

While Ayame was still very tiny, her hair had continued growing at a rapid pace. Shion had wanted to take quite a bit of it off, but Jr. had balked on her, insisting there was no reason for it. Ayame, understanding what her mother wished to do, had hidden behind her father to shake her head at Shion. "Aya wants to keep her hair," she protested. A small quirk of Ayame's was that she loved to refer to herself in third person. Her vocabulary had grown immensely over the past nine months, as had her understanding of the world around her. Shelley, who had herself been tested and discovered to be a genius, had agreed with Jr.'s assertion that Ayame had a genius IQ. Shion sometimes sighed that her daughter was far too intelligent for her own good, but being the minority in the battle about the hair, she'd given in to her husband and daughter with good grace.

"Guilty as charged," Jr. chuckled, kissing the top of Ayame's head. "You didn't mind Daddy doing that, did you?"

Ayame shook her head against his chest. "Aya likes her hair down when she's sleeping," she answered. "Mommy will put it up now." She lifted her head to smile at Shion, reaching out her arms so her mother could take her.

Shion took her in her arms and disappeared with her into the bathroom to twist Ayame's hair into one of the elaborate styles Jr. rolled his eyes at. Their daughter was a ball of energy, always into something or another, and that meant her hairstyle never remained for very long. He'd had the nerve to point that out once, and had received a glare from both mother and daughter for his efforts. Ayame enjoyed having her mother play with her hair and had immediately set her father straight upon the matter. Jr. had backed off, hands raised in surrender as he grinned.

Shion exited the bathroom, Ayame following along behind her. "There we go. Now she's all ready to get into whatever mischief she's planning for today," she said teasingly. She'd put Ayame's hair up into a complicated array of braids and piled them upon her head to keep the hair out of her face. "I can't believe that this style will come out as easily as the others. I keep trying to think of one that will hold up."

Jr. moved to take his wife in his arms while Ayame rested her head against his leg. "Forget it, sweetheart. You know she's way too damn active for that." He felt a tug on his jeans leg and laughed. While his language had improved around his daughter, he'd never quite been able to cut out cursing entirely. Ayame shook her finger up at him, and he patted her hair gently. "Yeah, I know. Bad Daddy, right?"

"Jr., do you think you've finally stopped growing?" Shion asked with a lifted eyebrow as she slid her arms around his neck. "You're nearly a foot taller than me now, you know."

Over the months, Jr. had had two more growth spurts, each causing him to attain about three inches in height. The last, which had just very recently occurred, had him coming in at 6'3" and had lent his face a maturity equal to Albedo's and Gaignun's. Despite his height and muscular physique, he only weighed a rather deceptive 160 lbs. "Yeah, I'm thinking I'm done now. Albedo was about this height, and Gaignun was maybe an inch shorter. So unless Dad messed around with my genes more than theirs, what you see is what you get. Can you handle it?" he said with a wink.

She gave a haughty sniff. "I can handle it just fine, thank you." She noticed how his eyes had gone heavy-lidded, and she rested her head against his chest. "Tonight, I'll just have to show you," she told him softly, and his arms tightened around her waist. He felt her stiffen in his arms suddenly, and her head shot up. "Ayame Kiku Kukai, just what do you think you're doing?!"

Jr. spun to face the direction Shion was glaring in and saw a guilty-looking Ayame clinging to the top of her crib. She'd apparently climbed up it while her parents were talking. "Aya wanted her plush!" she wailed, her green eyes filling with tears instantly. She laid her head against her father's shoulder when he took her, the tears rolling over her cheeks.

"That was my fault, sweetheart. I forgot to grab her plushie when I picked her up," Jr. said apologetically, running his hand over Ayame's back comfortingly.

"I don't care if you forgot it, Gaignun Kukai, Jr.! The point is that she can't be climbing like that! What if she falls and gets hurt? She scared me to death when I saw her hanging onto her crib that way!" Shion took a deep, calming breath to slow her racing heart and moved toward Jr. and Ayame. She took a slightly resistant Ayame from her father and hugged her close. "Mommy's sorry for yelling, sweetie. She just doesn't want you climbing like that anymore. She'd be so upset if you were to get hurt."

Ayame lifted a small hand to lay it against Shion's cheek. "Aya's sorry she scared you, Mommy," she whispered. "She won't climb her crib anymore."

Jr. pulled his family close to him after giving Ayame her red dragon plushie. "How about we decide what we're doing now?" Shion sighed, but she'd accepted that Jr. preferred her in the role of disciplinarian most of the time. "What do you feel like doing, Aya?"

Ayame thought for a minute, and then she beamed at her parents. "Aya wants to visit Unca Cappy for a while. She wants to see his seat!" She began to squirm, and Shion set her down.

"Jr.," Shion complained as they followed after their daughter carefully, "can we please store some of the things you got for Ayame for her birthday and Christmas? Her first Christmas was child's play compared to what you did for those." She gave a quick glance around the cabin, at the toys scattered about and the clothes still yet to be used. "If we do ever have another child, where do you expect to put him or her?"

Jr. pulled her back against him quickly, so he could nuzzle her ear. He chuckled when he felt her melt in his arms. "You just leave that worry to me, love of my life. And know that I'll spoil any child we have just the same as I spoil our little one. Now let's get going before Aya leaves us behind. She's already at the door."

On the lower level, as Shelley was busily working alongside Allen, a feeling as though she was about to be sick came upon her. She placed a hand to her mouth and fled without a word. Allen threw an apology back at the Professor as he hurried after her, having noticed her sudden paleness. He saw his wife rush into the small bathroom the original _Elsa _crew had installed in the corner of the old E.S. hangar. Worried about her, he knocked on the door gently. "Shelley, are you okay?" The sounds from inside did nothing to calm his nervousness.

The few minutes before she was able to open the door for him were excruciating for Allen. When she did, her face was still pale. "I am sorry, Allen. I suddenly felt as though I was about to be sick. It came upon me with no warning beforehand. Please forgive me for rushing away as I did."

"It's okay, Shelley. I was just worried about you." He pulled her into his arms, and she leaned against him briefly. "Are you feeling better now, anyway?"

She took a deep breath. "Yes, I do believe that I am. I cannot begin to imagine what could have caused…" She trailed off into silence, her lavender eyes going wide. "Allen, would I be correct in assuming you are thinking the same as I am?"

He looked blank for a split second, and then his blue eyes went as wide as hers. "Shelley, do you think it could be…?"

She placed a hand against her stomach very gently. "It is a possibility. We can only be certain if I speak with MOMO. She was willing to confirm for us when I spoke to her not so long ago. And I will also speak to Shion to ask her about her symptoms when she first discovered she was carrying Ayame."

"Then let's tell the Professor we need to leave early today, and then we'll head up to either talk to Shion or contact MOMO." Allen placed an arm around Shelley's waist, and she smiled at the overwhelming gentleness with which he did so. They quickly let the Professor know that they had to leave early, and when he shooed them away with few complaints, they hurried to the upper level.

Ayame reached out to Matthews, who took her a bit uneasily. While he'd held her plenty of times before, he was always afraid of hurting her due to her size. "Unca Cappy, Aya wants to go up and see space!" Ayame demanded, pointing a small finger into the air.

"Ah, well, I don't think that's a good idea, kiddo. How about you let your father do that?" Matthews asked, directing a beseeching look in Jr. and Shion's direction.

Ayame's mouth screwed up in an angry pout. "No, Aya wants Unca Cappy to do it! It's not Daddy's seat!"

Matthews gave in without further argument. The scene was a usual one aboard the _Elsa_; Ayame was rarely ever denied anything by the occupants of the ship. Only her mother managed to counterbalance everything, and she did so with a gentle forcefulness that kept Ayame from becoming too spoiled or overbearing. Matthews lifted the seat into the air, and Ayame clung to him, giggling. She was a fearless child, causing Jr. and especially Shion to worry endlessly. Once they were up in the air, Matthews seemed to relax and pointed to the space they were traveling through as he told Ayame what he could about it. Jr. and Shion became involved in conversation with Mary, Tony and Hammer while waiting for their daughter. Mary suddenly stopped mid-sentence as they all heard, "Kiddo, no touching that button!" Matthews let out a bellow and Ayame emitted a squeal of surprised glee as the chair lowered again. "You're gonna give me a heart attack," Matthews groaned piteously as Ayame, smiling widely, clambered off of him to hurry over to her parents.

Allen and Shelley stepped onto the bridge not long after Jr. had hoisted Ayame up into his arms. Ayame's head turned to see who had come in, and she cried, "Unca Allen! Daddy, let Aya down!" With a laugh, Jr. lowered his struggling daughter to the floor so she could rush toward Allen, who knelt down to catch the red-haired whirlwind.

"Good to see you, too," he said, chuckling, standing up as she hugged him around the neck. "What have you been up to?"

"Aya saw space!" she crowed, pointing out toward it. "Unca Cappy showed her in his seat!"

"Sounds like fun," Allen said with a smile. "Whoa, what did your mom do to your hair this time?" His eyes widened at the amount of braids piled upon Ayame's head.

"Mommy made it pretty! Aya likes when she does that. Does Unca Allen?" she asked, pinning him with her intense green eyes.

Allen glanced at Jr., who rolled his eyes covertly. Despite having been with Jr. the entire time upon the _Elsa_, Allen still found it difficult to reconcile the tall, red-haired man in front of him with the small redhead he'd met about four years ago on the _Durandal_. Recovering his composure, he returned his attention to Ayame. "You look very nice today," he answered, causing her to preen in his arms.

"What brings you two up to the bridge?" Shion asked, stepping forward to take Ayame and shaking her head ruefully when she clung to Allen. "How did you manage to sneak away from the Professor? I'm surprised he allows **me **to come and go as I please…"

"I would like to speak with you, Shion, if you do not mind. May I quickly pull you outside?" Shelley questioned.

Shion appeared confused but nodded. Jr. stole a kiss from her before she left with Shelley, and they last heard him asking jokingly if Allen was attempting to steal his daughter away from him. Once the door had closed behind the two women, Shelley turned to Shion. "Shion, how exactly did you feel in the beginning of your pregnancy?"

"Do you mean my symptoms, Shelley?" At Shelley's nod, Shion continued, "In the beginning, I was nauseous all of the time. I couldn't even look at food in the morning, or even have it mentioned to me. And it got to the point where I couldn't even get out of bed until later on in the day. Why do you ask?" She lifted a hand to her mouth, her green eyes widening with wonder. "Shelley, does this mean you might be…?"

"I am not positive, but I did indeed feel nauseous earlier. I also know that I am overdue, but that has happened before. I did not wish to get my or Allen's hopes up unnecessarily," Shelley said softly.

"I understand completely, Shelley. Well, MOMO said she would help if you needed her, didn't she? Why don't you go in and contact her? Just send Jr. and Ayame out, and don't let him talk you into telling him why," Shion said with a sigh, and Shelley laughed quietly before she disappeared through the door.

A thoughtful expression appeared on Jr.'s face when Shelley returned and told him Shion had asked her to send both him and Ayame out. "What did you two talk about?" he said as he took Ayame into his arms, straightening her lavender dress as he did so.

"You will perhaps know in time, Little Master," Shelley answered, and a chuckle escaped him.

"I shouldn't even be responding to that," he joked. "I'm sure as hell not little anymore." Ayame clapped her small hand over his mouth, and his blue eyes crinkled as he smiled.

Mary threw in with, "Ain't gonna change the fact it's what ya are! We told ya that way back when, anyhow." Jr. waved her off and headed off the bridge. Mary turned to her sister. "Ya need us to go, too, Shelley?"

"I do not wish to inconvenience anyone, but I fear if I use the terminal outside the bridge, I may have the Little Master hovering over my shoulder. He may have changed in appearance, but he has not yet lost his eavesdropping habits. Allen and I will hopefully not be very long," Shelley said, looking around at the occupants of the bridge.

"Ah, we got no problem with letting you use the one in here, Shelley," Tony said with a grin. "We'll keep the Little Master from hanging by the door. Let me set the auto-pilot, and then we'll all get outta here for a bit." He did as he'd said, and then he took hold of Mary and steered her out of the room as Matthews and Hammer followed after them.

Allen turned to Shelley and saw she was trembling, although she was trying very hard to hide it. "You're worried about what MOMO can tell us, aren't you?" he said softly, pulling her into his arms gently.

"Yes, because I fear that I may be incorrect, Allen. It has happened before, has it not?" Shelley laid her head upon his shoulder with a sigh.

"We just got a little ahead of ourselves before," he corrected her tenderly, stroking her lavender hair. "This is the first time you've felt this way, though, so let's see what MOMO can tell us when she analyzes you. Okay?" He moved back so he could tilt her chin up slightly and look into her eyes.

She took a deep, calming breath before nodding. "Yes, let us contact MOMO before I talk myself into believing I am wrong. Would you do so for me? My hands are shaking far too much." She gave him a tremulous smile as he brushed her cheek with his thumb before he moved away to key in the _Dämmerung_'s coordinates.

Almost as though she'd been expecting them to contact her, MOMO's image appeared immediately. "Hi, Allen!" she bubbled. "It's nice to see you! Is Shelley there with you? Because I'm betting I know why you need me." She gave him a friendly smile and looked around for Shelley.

"Hey, MOMO." Allen returned the smile. "I hope you don't think we're using you or something, though," he worried, and she giggled.

"Oh, Allen, you worry too much! I don't have a problem helping you at all! There you are, Shelley. Allen, I'll need you to step back so I'm only focusing on Shelley, okay?" Allen stepped back quickly, and Shelley moved forward, biting her lip.

"MOMO, are you certain you wish to do this? I am of the same opinion as Allen in thinking it may come across that we are using your friendship to our own advantage. I could simply wait a bit longer, and then I could be sure…" Shelley also was aware that Shion had first confirmed her pregnancy through MOMO, and she didn't want to arouse any bad memories within MOMO due to her having to do the same for her and Allen.

"I'm sure!" MOMO waved a hand at her, shaking her head. "Too much worrying clouds my analysis abilities," she teased before closing her eyes. She was silent for a few minutes, and Shelley turned her head toward Allen, reaching instinctively for his hand. "It's fine now. Allen, you can come by Shelley since I'm done analyzing her. I think you might want to be with her for this news, anyway."

Her words caused Shelley's shoulders to slump. "Would that mean I was once again incorrect, MOMO?" She turned to Allen and buried her face in his neck, and his arms slid around her to hold her close.

"Oh, no!" MOMO cried. "Shelley, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you think that at all. I meant the two of you might want to be together when I tell you that you're definitely going to be parents! Congratulations!" Insistent barking was heard, and she leaned down to pick Alby up. "Even Alby is saying congratulations!" Alby's tail wagged wildly as he barked in MOMO's arms, and Allen and Shelley stared at MOMO in shock.

"You mean…we're going…to have a baby?" Allen asked blankly.

MOMO laughed. "Yes, that's what I mean. Shelley is pregnant. There's no mistaking it, Allen! Oh, it makes me wish we weren't so far apart," she said, looking slightly sad. Alby gave her a slobbery kiss, and she giggled as she ran a hand over his back. "I'm so happy for the two of you, even if the distance makes me sad."

Shelley smiled as Allen rested a gentle hand upon her stomach. "Thank you so very much for doing this, MOMO. And I have no doubt that we will all meet again soon, so please do not be sad."

"I know we will," MOMO agreed, her beaming smile lighting up her face. "Although…Mommy and Ziggy still aren't talking to Jr. and Shion. That would be awkward if we did before they decided to stop avoiding them. I've tried talking about it with them, but they still refuse to budge." Her smile had faded by then, and she sighed heavily. "I know eventually they'll realize it's not helping to stay angry about what happened, but it's hard right now. Just let Jr. know I'm still trying really hard, please."

"We'll tell him, MOMO," Allen said quietly. Everyone knew Ziggy's continued silence bothered Jr. far more than he let on, but no one spoke of it. They'd never forgotten how he'd reacted when Juli and Ziggy had confronted him and Shion on their treatment of MOMO. No one wished for a repeat performance. With that in mind, Allen knew he probably wouldn't be broaching the subject with Jr. any time soon. Trying to change the mood the atmosphere had dissolved into, he hugged Shelley around the waist. "I don't think we can thank you enough for the news you just gave us. Thanks for being willing to do this, MOMO."

MOMO's golden eyes cleared, and she smiled again. "You know I would do anything for my friends, Allen. Now, I'd better let you two go so you can celebrate the good news. I'm going to let Charles know, so he can get in touch with you, Shelley. Congratulations again!" She made Alby wave his front paw, and the communication ended on a happy note as they all laughed at the long-suffering expression on the small dog's face.

Allen turned to face Shelley, his face full of amazement and joy. Again his hand drifted to her flat stomach, caressing it through the fabric of her long, purple dress. "We're going to be parents," he said softly.

She laid her hand over his, her eyes full of quiet happiness. "Yes, we are. We have been a long time in waiting, but it is more than worth it to have this moment. We are finally going to have a child of our own, Allen."

"Is it weird that I want to run straight to the lounge and shout it to everyone?" he said with a grin.

"If it is at all strange, then I believe I would be considered just as odd. My impulse is to do the same," she said, giving him an answering smile. She slid her arms around his neck as he held her. They kissed sweetly, both just basking in the simple pleasure of knowing that all their waiting had finally been rewarded. When they drew apart, she brought her hand to his cheek. "I do love you so very much for being patient with me."

"It's got nothing to do with patience, Shelley. It's got everything to do with the fact that I love you. Even if we weren't able to have any kids, that wouldn't affect my love for you. I love you for you, Shelley Ridgeley." When her eyes sparkled with happy tears, he kissed her again, holding her closely but tenderly because of her new status.

Everyone looked up when they entered the lounge, and Allen squeezed Shelley's hand tightly. They saw Jr. scoop a protesting Ayame up into his arms as his eyes narrowed speculatively. "Do you want to tell them, or did you want me to?" Allen whispered to Shelley.

"I am afraid I will stumble over the words due to how happy I am feeling," she replied. "I will leave this in your more than capable hands." She leaned her head against his shoulder as he grinned at everyone.

"So, we come bearing an announcement," he started. "It looks like not long down the road, we're going to have our own addition. MOMO just confirmed it for us!"

Mary let out a screech of delight and rushed over to her sister. She knelt down to put her head against Shelley's stomach. "I'm gonna get myself a niece or nephew! And Ayame's gonna get herself a playmate! Hey, lil' one, can ya hear Aunt Mary in there?"

Shelley shook her head at Mary, but she was smiling despite the action. "I do doubt that he or she can hear you at this particular moment, Mary. In a few months, that will change."

Shion rushed toward Shelley after Mary had moved away to enfold her in a hug. "I'm so happy for the two of you!" She turned to Allen to give him a hug as well. "Oh, just think about it! Ayame and your son or daughter will be great friends, since they'll be growing up together!"

"Aya has friends," Ayame said stubbornly as Jr. came to stand behind his wife. "She doesn't need any more."

"Sweetie, there's nothing wrong with you playing with someone closer to your age than Uncle Allen or Aunt Mary," Shion said gently but firmly.

"Mommy's right," Jr. said, surprising Shion with his support. "What if you have a baby brother or sister someday? Wouldn't you want to play with him or her?"

Ayame's lower lip pushed out in a pout. "No," she said, folding her arms across her chest. "Aya likes it the way it is now."

Shion told Allen and Shelley, "She'll be fine. Anyway, I don't think I even told you congratulations, so I am now." She hugged them both again. After everyone had offered up their own congratulations, there was a spirit of festive happiness throughout the lounge for a time.

That night, Jr. was reading to Ayame to lull her to sleep while she rubbed at his ear. She rested her head upon his shoulder, and he didn't take much notice when her hand traveled up to his temple. Her fingers began to massage the area there, and Jr. smiled as he continued to read. Ayame made a small sound, and that was when Jr. heard, _I did not initiat__e contact, so stop all attempts at conversing with me_

Eyebrows drawing together in confusion, Jr. hissed, "I'm not talking to you! I'm reading to Aya!"

_It was not you I was speaking of!_ Albedo flared. _Your offspring seems to have discovered my existence despite my careful planni__ng. Insist that she cease bothering me, immediately_

Ignoring his brother's furious cries in his head, which was rather difficult to do considering, Jr. laid the book down and moved Ayame so she was standing in his lap. Shion had drifted over, sensing there was some kind of an issue. "Aya, is there something you want to tell me?" he asked, not trying to lead her in any way.

Ayame lowered her head coquettishly. "Unca Alby tried to hide from Aya, but Aya found him," she giggled quietly.

_Did she just refer to me by that atrocity of a name you bestowed __upon__ that worthless mongrel__ wisely __left with ma pêche?_ Albedo asked disbelievingly.

"Albedo, just shut up for a minute, would you?! I'm trying to figure this out!" Jr. snapped. He focused on his daughter once again. "Little one, what do you mean when you say 'you found him'? How could I not feel you probing inside my head when you contacted him?"

"Jr., what's going on?" Shion questioned, stroking Ayame's silky hair. "Are you saying Ayame can talk to Albedo?"

"Aya didn't want to talk to you, Daddy. She just wanted to talk to Unca Alby, so she ignored you," Ayame told him with wide green eyes.

Sensing his twin's confusion, Albedo snarled, _She is telling you she simply bypassed your consciousness, Rubedo! What manner of creature is she that she is able to do something such as this at such a young age? No matter. Just inform her she is to forego all attempts at further contact because I will not respond. I have no use for the child!_

Jr. growled back, "I'll talk to you in a minute, because we've got some things we need to discuss." Albedo made a huffy noise, but he subsided for the time being. "Aya, how did you do that? Can you tell me?"

"Aya just did, Daddy. She thought in her head how she wanted to talk to Unca Alby, and then she did. She can talk to you all the time, so she just ignored you to get to Unca Alby. Did she do something wrong?" Her lower lip began to quiver, signaling an impending wail.

"No, little one, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm just trying to figure out how you were able to do it. Sweetheart, we'll talk in a couple of minutes, okay? Can you take Aya and put her to sleep while I talk to the pain-in-the-ass in my head?" Jr. stood up to hand Ayame to Shion, giving his daughter a kiss on the forehead and his wife a kiss on the lips. "It's okay, Aya. Go with Mommy so you can get to sleep. Night, little one." Ayame clung to his hand briefly, and then Shion headed toward the sofa, singing to her softly along the way.

Jr. waited until Shion had taken a seat with Ayame before he unleashed his temper, albeit quietly to keep from upsetting his daughter. "Where the hell do you get off, calling Aya a 'creature'?!"

_Do you mean to tell me that you think what she's capable of is normal, Rubedo? You seem to be forgetting that I can sense your trembling, dear brother_, Albedo said pointedly.

"I think it's pretty safe to say the trembling is because I'm pissed beyond all reason! What the hell is your damn problem with Aya? I've taken your crap about her since before she was born, and it stops now! She's your goddamn niece, Albedo!" Jr.'s voice was rising, and he forcibly reined in his fury when he heard Ayame start to sniffle in Shion's arms.

_I did not ask for a niece_, Albedo said coldly. His voice had done the very opposite and lowered to the point where it was difficult to hear his words. _She has done nothing to earn my respect, and I find __it __intrusive that she dared to contact me. And then she calls me by that godforsaken name!_

"Forget about the fact that my dog is named Alby, which I'm regretting a whole helluva lot at this point," Jr. bit out. "She did it to show you she cares about you, because that's who Aya is!"

_I don't recall asking the little princess to care in any way about me. She may keep her caring ways to herself. I do not exist for her enjoyment_, Albedo threw at him.

"Albedo, we're done then," Jr. said, a finality in his tone. "I'm tired of dealing with you and your attitude regarding Aya. My family means everything to me, and if you can't accept that, then we've got nothing left to say."

Albedo was silent for a time, causing Jr. to think he'd gone without having the final word. When he spoke at last, his tone sounded somewhat chastened. _I don'__t wish to have that happen, Rubedo. A__llow me time to ponder upon the__ matter, and then I would like to speak with you again. Would __that be __acceptable_

Surprised that Albedo was willing to give that much, Jr. said simply, "I can give you that."

_Thank you_, was all Albedo responded with, and then his consciousness was gone.

Jr. was left rubbing at his forehead tiredly, hating that he'd had to issue an ultimatum to even get Albedo to attempt listening to him. He got to his feet and headed toward the bed he shared with Shion, seeing she was waiting for him there. "Did Aya get to sleep all right?" he asked quietly, glancing toward the crib.

"She fought me for a bit, but she was tired. Jr., what is going on?" Shion demanded to know.

He pulled her into his arms after he'd sat down, heaving a sigh as he did so. "It seems our little one found out about Albedo. She was able to contact him, and he was freaking out about it."

"But how did she do that? Is she telepathic like you were with Gaignun?" She turned in his arms to lay her head against his chest, and he shifted slightly to stroke his hand over her hair.

"It might have started as that, but it changed and became something way stronger. She totally bypassed me to get to Albedo, sweetheart. I want you to be honest when I ask you what I'm about to ask you, okay?" He pulled back so he could lift her chin up.

"Of course I'll be honest with you. What did you want to ask?"

"Are you afraid of Aya at all?" He hated to put the question out there, because he knew how much Shion loved Ayame, but the question needed to be asked.

Shion's green eyes widened in disbelief as she said heatedly, "Of course I'm not! Jr., she's my daughter! How could I be afraid of her for having a talent that I don't? And while Albedo may not exist on a physical plane, his consciousness is within you. At least she has an actual 'living' relative through him." Her voice had softened by the end, and he brushed the back of his hand over her cheek.

"You know the reason we had to start the Foundation, sweetheart. People like me and Aya were discriminated against every day. I knew you wouldn't do that, but I had to ask. I'm sorry if it came across wrong or anything." He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and she slid her arms around his neck.

"I know why you needed to ask, Jr. Now why don't you tell me how Albedo is handling our daughter wanting to talk to him? You've never said anything, but I know you, and I can tell that he doesn't particularly care for her," Shion said with quiet sadness.

"Albedo doesn't like anyone," Jr. replied angrily and then sighed again. "I didn't mean to snap at you. He's just got me so crazy right now because of his reaction. Yeah, he's not keen on Aya. I've tried to talk to him before, but he usually vanishes on me when I start hounding him about her. This time, I told him I wasn't taking his crap anymore. He was either going to accept her, or I was finished talking with him. Which means his consciousness would have been getting pretty damn lonely being ignored. He asked for some time to think about it, and I gave it to him. If he comes back and acts like an ass about her again, it's over, sweetheart. You won't have to worry about me looking like a crazy man in front of anyone anymore."

"I was never worried about that to begin with," she said gently, nuzzling beneath his chin. "It hurts me to know he can't be happy that you're happy, though."

"He learned to like you, so if he wants to hang around, he'll learn to like Aya. It's as simple as that. I'm not playing around with him anymore, Shion. If he wants to be a part of me, then he's gotta play by my rules." He caressed her back, bared by the nightgown she was wearing. "Now, can we change the subject? Till I know what he's doing, I'm not going to worry about Albedo."

"And what would you like to talk about, sir?" she said primly, causing him to smile as he watched her shiver in reaction to his touch.

"I want to talk about how Allen and Shelley beat us to the punch," he teased softly, leaning down to nibble at her ear. She emitted a breathy sigh and arched into him. "And how I plan to fix that, somewhat. Plus, if I'm remembering right, you told me you were going to show me you could handle me in this body…" He slid the spaghetti straps of her nightgown down and moved his mouth to her one shoulder.

"How would …you like…me to show you?" she asked, her breath catching as his mouth slid lower.

"I've got plenty of ideas, so how about we get started on them," he answered huskily, pulling her down with him. Soon, only soft whispers and sighs were heard, since both had eventually learned to lower the noise level if they didn't want Ayame awakening at an awkward time. Shion, however, hadn't yet been able to break her habit of crying out his name at a pivotal moment, and it was with a satisfied chuckle that Jr. shifted above her to contain the cry. Once they were both feeling almost too boneless to move, he managed to pull her into his arms. "I love you," he told her quietly.

She lifted a hand weakly to touch his cheek. "And I love you," she said in return, her emerald eyes tenderly caressing his face. She fell asleep to his gentle stroking of her hair, and he followed not long after he felt the sigh run through her that indicated her sleeping status.

On the lower level, there was no drama occurring in Allen and Shelley's room. The quiet joy that had filled them since MOMO had given them her knowledge pervaded it instead. Allen had drawn Shelley back against him to rest his hand upon her satin-covered stomach. "It's hard to believe that, after all this time, we're going to have one of our own, huh?"

She answered softly, "It is a dream come true, Allen. For each of us. You have wished for a family, and I have wanted to fulfill that wish for so very long."

"Hey," he said strongly, turning her to him with gentle hands, "you're my family, Shelley. Any kids we have will just get added to that family." He fell silent for a time, and she lifted her head to see why that was. He had a strange expression on his face, one she couldn't readily identify. Just as she was about to question him, his attention seemed to return to her. "Sorry for blanking out like that. I was just thinking about a few things…"

"Thinking about what, Allen?" she asked, placing a hand against his cheek. "You appeared to be so lost in thought, it cannot be anything easily put aside."

"I'm a little scared, Shelley," he admitted in a low voice.

"Of what?" she questioned. She pressed close to him, wanting him to know she was there through the simple warmth of her body but not looking to rush him into answering.

"Of me actually being a dad. What if I can't do it? Or what if, somehow, I manage to screw everything up? Like Shion once told me about Ayame, we're going to have someone who's completely dependent on us for everything. Am I really capable of handing that?" He lifted a hand to knead at the area between his eyebrows, and she stopped him tenderly.

"I believe you are more than capable. Allen, you are capable of loving more completely than most anyone I have ever known. You will do the same for our child."

He smiled weakly. "I guess I'm just wondering if it'll come as easily for me as it does for Jr.…"

She slid her arms around his neck and snuggled close to him. "Looking at him now, it is difficult to believe that the Little Master did not immediately know what he needed to do with Ayame. Do you recall when she was newly born?"

"Yeah, now I remember him not holding her in the beginning," he replied thoughtfully.

"It is easily forgotten, because it did not last an overwhelming amount of time. However, it is proof that he was subject to the same fear and doubt you are now entertaining, Allen. I believe what you are feeling to be perfectly normal. I do not doubt that Shion herself suffered from much of the same, but she was forced to cast it aside because of the Little Master's reaction. I do indeed share the same fear and doubt about my parenting skills, but I know we are both capable of being good parents. It is what we have wanted for so long," she whispered, and he nodded fervently.

"It really is, Shelley. I just want to be the best dad I can be. I really don't want to be like my dad, who was only there when it was pretty much convenient for him…" Allen looked away briefly, sighing. "I loved my mom and dad, but I learned from them what I never wanted to be as a parent. Sometimes I worry I won't have a choice, though."

"You will have a choice, and I trust in you to make the correct one," Shelley said softly. He shifted an errant piece of hair out of her face, and she leaned her cheek against his hand. "We have eight months to prepare for the birth of our child, Allen, and I know we will not waste a single moment."

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" he asked very quietly, tilting her chin up to stare into her soft lavender eyes.

"You have, but I would not mind hearing it again," she teased.

He chuckled and gathered her close. "That's good, because I'm never going to get tired of saying it." He whispered his proclamation of love in her ear, and it was with sheer tenderness that he set about proving his words. They slowly and lovingly brought one another to fulfillment before falling asleep within each other's embrace, Shelley's head tucked comfortably beneath Allen's chin.

At breakfast the next morning, everyone noticed there was an obvious tenseness between Mary and Tony, but only Jr. was brave enough to speak up about it. "So, I'm guessing you two are off again?" he said, shaking his head. Over the course of Mary and Tony's relationship, there had been many a time that one or the other angered over something, causing everyone to tiptoe around them. Jr. had joked to Shion privately that he was glad they weren't like that anymore, because he could honestly say it must have driven everyone aboard the ship crazy when they fought. "What the hell happened this time?" He raised an eyebrow in Mary's direction.

"Nothin' ya need to worry 'bout," she sniffed, glaring at Tony. He adjusted his gaze with a sigh and lifted his fork to his mouth silently. "Ya just concentrate on your own business, why don't ya?"

"No problem," Jr. replied, turning away and joining Ayame and Shion at the booth they usually occupied with Allen and Shelley. He could see Ayame's lower lip trembling, and he took her in his arms. "Hey, don't worry, little one. You know they'll be okay. They just like the attention." He nuzzled her nose with his, and she giggled at him. "So, are we on our own for breakfast this morning? Looks that way, since I don't see anyone serving," he joked.

"I think we can handle it, Jr.," Shion answered with a smile. She stood up, and Ayame bounced off her father's lap to join her. "Are you coming out to the kitchen with Daddy and me, or are you staying here to keep Aunt Mary company?"

Ayame glanced back at Mary and then shook her head at her mother. "Aya will give Aunt Mary some time alone," she said, leading her parents out to the kitchen.

Later on in the day, while Jr. was on the bridge talking with Matthews, Albedo decided to pay him a visit. Jr. swore soundly, causing Matthews to look at him a little strangely. "Little Master? Everything okay?"

Jr. threw a quick mental note at Albedo to wait until he could leave the bridge before nodding to Matthews. "Yeah, I just remembered I've gotta do something before Shion gets back up here. Sorry to cut the talk short, but you know how it'll be if I don't get it done…"

Tony snorted. "Yep, know that all too well," he said darkly, and Jr. lifted his hand to the back of his head. Tony had been making small comments all the while he'd been on the bridge, and he'd managed to ignore them for the most part. It was giving him a clue as to why Mary and Tony weren't talking, however. He figured Mary must have expected something from Tony that he either hadn't done or hadn't known he had to. Mary was usually easygoing, but when she expected something done and it wasn't, she could be a terror.

"I'll, uh, talk to you guys later," Jr. tossed back at them as he hurried out of the atmosphere that had grown even tenser with Tony's comment. Mary hadn't been on the bridge, and while Jr. wondered where she was, he thought it was better she hadn't been around while he'd been there. "And I thought me and Shion were bad back in the beginning…" he muttered as he ducked into the cabin.

_The two of you were, indeed, not the most pleasant to be near when you were in a heated disagreement_, Albedo said, but his tone lacked any of his normal flare.

Without preamble, Jr. asked, "So, what's it gonna be, Albedo? You feel like cooperating or being ignored? Since you contacted me, I'm guessing you made your choice."

_I pondered upon the matter for some time, and I have reached my decision. I will attempt to curb my tongue when referring to the little princess. Am I allowed to speak of her as such?_ A small bit of Albedo's usual sarcasm crept into his voice with the question.

"I'll let it go if you use it in the way you use 'princess' when you talk about Shion. You dropped the attitude with her, so you'd better drop it with Aya. I'm not kidding, Albedo," Jr. warned.

_I'm quite aware of that, Rubedo. And because I don't wish to lose __our brotherly connection, I shall__ bow to your will for once. __I will not speak ill of your offspring again, but I would also prefer if you explain to her that I will need time to handle contact with her. I've spent time trying to avoid her, and now I'll need to rearrange that position. I would also prefer she not call me by that hideous name she used before_, Albedo said, his voice dripping with displeasure.

"I don't think you're getting your way there. Aya uses it because she likes you. She might have just found you, but she was happy when she talked about you. Give her that much, Albedo. Come on." Jr. began pacing the room as he spoke with his brother.

_Then please ask her to use it as little as possible. Merely hearing it is enough to make me shudder, Rubedo, and remind me that you attempted to replace me with that…animal. If you were trying to keep me in memory, could you not have chosen a somewhat more attractive beast? _

"There wasn't a damn thing wrong with Alby," Jr. responded. "He was great on the ship, and he even knew who I was supposed to be with before I was ready to admit it." He laughed quietly as he recalled the way Alby used to beg for Shion's attention when she was on the _Durandal_.

_I am forced to take your word, unfortunately. This does mean I am not to be persona non grata, does it not?_ Albedo tried to sound offhand, but Jr. detected a hint of a tremor beneath the words.

"It means you can stick around," Jr. said with a grin. "Good to hear you saw reason, Albedo."

_Hmph. I wasn't given much of a choice in the matter, now was I?_ Albedo was quiet for a time before he continued. _Would you truly have severed our connection, Rubedo? Consider it mere curiosity on my part, if you will._

"I don't know that I would have done it for good, Albedo, but you'd better believe that I would have for a damn long time. Aya and Shion mean everything to me, and that's something you've got to be willing to accept from now on. Doesn't mean I don't give a damn about our connection, though. It just means I wouldn't let you get away with being stupid and stubborn," Jr. answered.

_Ah, stubbornness is a trait that dwells__ within us both. It does cause one to wonder how we are able to deal with one another at times._ Albedo felt Jr. roll his eyes, and he chuckled. _Now that we have resolved our issues, I think I'll take a small nap. While you may not have felt me, I was awake this entire time, coming to terms with my decision._

"That means you knew way the hell back when we first talked what you wanted, doesn't it?" Jr. accused, folding his arms across his chest and sighing in aggravation.

_You may take that how you wish_, Albedo replied with another chuckle, and Jr. sputtered as he shook his head. _You can be certain I'__ll return later. Please be sure to inform the little princess I can be rather…__aggressive if I'm disturbed while__ sleeping._ His consciousness disappeared, and while Jr. was still shaking his head at his twin, he felt a weight remove itself from his shoulders because of how the discussion had gone.

"And why are you shaking your head, sir?" He jumped at the sound of Shion's voice and spun to see she had returned to their cabin with Ayame in tow. Ayame was busy giggling over something she had in her hands, and Jr. swiftly headed toward his wife and daughter.

"I'll tell you in a couple of minutes, sweetheart. What does my little one have?" He bent down to scoop Ayame up into his arms, and she shoved the miniature robot in his face. "Oh," he said, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice. He knew how much his daughter adored the Professor, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy the fact that the man kept giving her toys Jr. didn't approve of.

"You don't like it, Daddy?" she questioned, her green eyes beginning to shimmer with tears. She clutched it close to her, as though afraid he might take it from her.

"I like it just fine," Jr. told her, smiling, but his eyes met Shion's above his daughter's head. His look clearly said he wished to talk to her, and she nodded silently. "How about you let me have that for a while so I can look it over, Aya? I bet you're going to be taking a nap, anyway. So I'll just keep an eye on him while you're asleep, okay?"

She handed it to him, saying, "You won't lose him? Aya misses her last one…"

Jr. felt guilt course through him, but he refused to let it sway him. While his daughter was extremely intelligent, he felt she didn't need toys that were as small and dangerous as what the Professor had been giving her. He'd been putting them away where she couldn't find them, not sure if he intended on giving them back to the Professor or just keeping hold of them until he knew she was old enough to play with them. "So who do you want to put you to sleep, Aya?" he asked her, deliberately avoiding answering her question.

Her emerald eyes narrowed, but she hugged him around the neck. "Aya wants you to do it, Daddy. Is that okay?"

Jr. handed Shion the small robot discreetly and responded, "Nothing I'd like better. Do you want me to read you a quick story?" It didn't take long for Ayame to fall asleep to the sound of her father's low voice, and he gently put her in the crib and covered her with a thin blanket. She tugged her red dragon plushie toward her in her sleep, and he smiled before turning away to search out Shion.

"I can understand why those books of yours cause her to fall asleep so quickly," Shion said teasingly, and he saw she was sitting at the table in the front of the room.

"Ha, ha, sweetheart," he returned dryly, joining her. "So, can we talk about these damn things he keeps giving Aya? I kinda wish he wouldn't. You know she still likes to put stuff in her mouth, even though she's usually pretty good about it. What if one of the things he gives her breaks, and she ends up choking?"

"He's careful about things like that, Jr. Are you sure you're not just saying that because of how you feel about him?" she asked, peering at him.

"Yeah, well, maybe that's part of it," he said with an annoyed sigh. "I still don't like her having them. I don't have a problem going down there and telling him that, either." He got to his feet as though he intended on doing just that, and she held up a hand.

"I'll take care of it. A battle of wills between the two of you is not something the ship needs right now. I'll speak to him the next time I'm down there, all right?" She indicated for him to sit back down, and he did so with a grin. "Did Albedo contact you? Is that why you were in here and not on the bridge like you were going to be?"

"Yeah, he decided he'd taken enough time to think about it and wanted to let me know what his decision was. He's going to play nice, sweetheart. I think he figured out I meant business this time, and it kind of shook him up. I'll have to talk to Aya a bit about giving him a little peace and quiet, but he said he'll accept her trying to talk to him." He watched her get to her feet and move around the table. She moved in between the seat he was in and the seat on the outside of the table to lean her hip against the table edge.

"For your sanity, I'm glad he agreed," she said, a gentle, teasing note in her voice. "I've often wondered how you manage to keep yourself separate and sane…"

He stood up and slid his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss her. "Because I have two people who mean everything to me, and they keep me really damn grounded. Otherwise, you'd have a freakin' nut on board the ship." He shot her an easy grin, and she encircled his neck with her arms, sliding her fingers into his crimson hair.

"I'd love you, anyway," she said softly, and he pulled her tight against him.

"If Aya's naps weren't so damn short anymore, I'd be willing to see what this table can stand up to," he whispered in her ear, causing her to remove an arm and wag a finger at him. He brought the hand to his mouth to kiss the palm of it. "You can play prim and proper all you want, Mrs. Kukai, but I know what you're really like deep down." He caught her gasp of mock outrage with his mouth. Forgetting themselves, they gave into the passion that always seemed to rule them. He'd just felt the tremor rock through her body, causing him to follow suit, when they heard Ayame call out sleepily. "We'll be right there, little one," he called back hoarsely, dropping his head to Shion's shoulder.

Shion attempted to straighten the short, rose skirt she'd chosen for the day and pushed him away with a tender smile. She hopped down from the table and finished rearranging her outfit. "And that would be why we can't let ourselves get lost like that," she said with a giggle. She left him to fix his clothing while she hurried to grab Ayame before she managed to climb out of the crib as she impatiently waited for one of her parents to appear.

Jr. set off to join them after making sure everything was as it had been before he and Shion had gotten caught up in one another. "Sleep good, little one?" he asked Ayame, and she nodded.

"Plush keeps Aya from having bad dreams," she declared. "Where's Aya's robot?" She glanced around, obviously expecting to see the toy somewhere close.

Jr., who had been expecting to have to field the question, bent down and took his daughter's hand. "He said he was tired, so he's off taking a nap, too. How about you and me have a little chat about your Uncle Albedo? Mommy's gonna take you to the bathroom first, and then you come join me on my chair so we can talk."

Ayame nodded in answer to her father's question. "Aya will be right back, Daddy. She wants to hear all about Unca Alby!" she said happily. When she returned, Jr. spoke to her about what he and Albedo had discussed, and she seemed thrilled that she'd have a mental playmate in her Unca Alby. "Aya will be really nice to Unca Alby," she whispered. "She likes him." Jr. hugged her close, smiling when he heard Albedo heave a tired sigh.

--- A month later ---

Shion fought waking for a brief time before realizing she had no choice. She pulled out of Jr.'s embrace and, ignoring the fact that she had not a stitch of clothing on, raced toward the bathroom. Jr. opened one blue eye and muttered, "Sweetheart?" He came awake quickly once he realized the direction she'd run in, threw on his robe, and hurried after her, making sure to grab her satin robe off the end of the bed. He stopped dead in the doorway of the bathroom, seeing a chalky-white Shion resting her head back against the wall. "Are you okay?"

"No," she mumbled, shoving her sweaty hair out of her face. "I remember this feeling all too well…"

He knelt down in front of her, keeping an ear open for an awakening Ayame. "Do you really think you are?" he asked quietly, caressing her cheek with his thumb.

"Since I feel just like I did when I was pregnant with Ayame, I can safely say that I know it for a fact. It looks like we're going to be parents again," she told him, her eyes smiling.

"Damn, I didn't think we'd get this lucky again," he said with a grin. "Well, not that you're feeling lucky now, but you know what I mean. We're gonna have another one, sweetheart!" He pulled her into his arms tenderly, and her laugh was muffled against his chest.

"Not that I'm not as happy as you are, but would you mind letting me have my robe? I'm getting a little chilly from being all sweaty." He helped her to slip into the ocean-colored robe, and she rested against him. He felt her suddenly stiffen in his arms, and he made a questioning noise. She rushed to say, "Jr., we can't possibly tell anyone right now! Shelley's been waiting so long to get pregnant herself, and I'm not about to steal that from her!"

"You worry too damn much, sweetheart," he said soothingly, stroking his hand over her back. "We're not going to be stealing anything from her. All we're going to be doing is sharing some good news of our own. I don't think she'll get mad about that."

"I know she won't, because that's Shelley's way. I just think she deserves a little time to be happy about it without us stomping in to take away from her. Can't we just…" She glanced up at him with pleading emerald eyes, but he shook his head at her.

"Haven't we both learned by now?" he said exasperatedly. "Secrets get us nowhere. And hell, Shelley would be pissed if we did do that just to give her some time. You know she'd never want us to do that. Come on, sweetheart, it's okay for us to be happy at the same time Allen and Shelley are."

She snuggled into his arms, and he laid a hand against her hair. "I know. I'm sorry for even bringing up the possibility of keeping it to ourselves for now. I guess I wasn't expecting it to happen like this."

"Me, neither, but I'll take us having another one any which way I can," he whispered, kissing her softly. "Breakfast should be interesting, huh?"

As he was waiting for Shion to finish up her shower while he kept watch over Ayame, Albedo made his presence known by the irritation that preceded it. _I've just recently accepted the little princess, and now I suppose I'll be asked to accept another infant. Would you and the princess stop mass-producing, Rubedo? It's not as if our dear father is involved, you know…_

"Two sure as hell isn't mass-producing, Albedo," Jr. threw back. "And I'd really appreciate it if you didn't talk about Dad, okay?" He'd never forgotten the nightmare he'd had that had finally caused him to take Ayame into his arms. The mere thought of his father was enough to send shivers down his spine in regards to Ayame and the new child Shion was sheltering.

_I apologize. Speaking of him brings me no great pleasure, either, so we will avoid further mention._ Albedo fell silent, and then he gave a dry laugh. _It seems the little princess is unhappy with this new development. She's been listening in on our conversation, and she says she doesn't like the thought of a new brother or sister. I was quick to reassure her what a nuisance they can be._

"Thanks, Albedo. You're a great help," Jr. said, annoyed. Albedo gave another laugh before disappearing. Jr. then focused his entire attention on his daughter, who was aiming a mutinous look in his direction. "Aw, don't give me that look, little one." He held out his arms, and she came to him, albeit with a pushed-out lower lip.

"Aya doesn't want a brother or sister," she sniffled. "She doesn't want to share Mommy and Daddy."

"You'll get just as much attention, Aya. I think you'll have lots of fun playing with a new brother or sister and a new cousin, too." Jr. gave her small nose a flick of his finger, but she continued to pout.

"That's not what Unca Alby said," she reminded him.

"Your uncle likes to cause trouble sometimes," Jr. said, hugging her. "You'll see, little one. Okay, here comes Mommy. How about we head off to the lounge to get some food in us?" Ayame heaved a small sigh, but she hopped off her father's lap to lead the way while Jr. spoke quietly to Shion of what had just happened. She agreed that Ayame would most likely change her mind once both babies were born.

Once they entered the lounge, Jr. felt Shion start to pull away. "Hey, we discussed this, sweetheart." He lifted a hand to her cheek, and she leaned into it. "You want me to announce it like I did last time?" She nodded silently, and he took her hand, frowning as Ayame scurried away to join Mary. He did a quick double-take when he noticed Mary sitting with Tony but put it down to their usual on-again, off-again schedule without giving it much thought. He raised his voice to be heard over the noise, and everyone fell quiet and turned to hear what he had to say.

He pulled Shion in front of him, resting his hands gently upon her stomach. "Looks like Allen and Shelley won't be the only ones adding to the ship. Shion and I are having another baby!" he shouted, causing Shion to rub at her ears playfully as though he'd deafened her.

Allen and Shelley were the first to step forward to offer their congratulations. "It will be nice having someone to suffer jointly with," Shelley said teasingly, hugging Shion. "Although I do not think my morning sickness is anywhere near what you have told me yours was."

"And I'm already jealous, Shelley," Shion answered with a laugh. "If this morning was any indication of the next few months, I'm going to be in just as much trouble. It's worth it, though."

"Hey, does this mean I can ask for tips when it comes to handling pregnancy stuff then?" Allen kidded Jr., who threw his head back and laughed.

"I'm sure as hell no expert, Allen. You just gotta let the woman lead you is all I can tell you. She knows what she wants, and you do your damnedest to give it to her."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Shion said, placing her hands upon Jr.'s with a smile.

Mary was next, pulling a resistant Ayame with her. "Ya got the lil' one all upset, but I tried to convince her she'll be happy in the long run. Ya think ya might have a boy this time?" she asked. "One o' each would be so cute, don't ya think?"

Shion bent to pick Ayame up, and she buried her face in her mother's shoulder as Shion stroked a hand over the hair she'd kept down at Jr.'s insistence. "I know she'll be okay once the baby comes, but I hate to see her like this," she said sadly. "She's gotten so used to being spoiled by everyone…"

"Ain't like she's not gonna be just 'cause we got two more on the way!" Mary said firmly. "We ain't gonna love ya any less, lil' one. You're just gonna have two buddies to play with!"

"Doesn't look like she's buying it, baby," Tony said, coming up behind Mary and slipping his arms around her waist. "Hey, kiddo," he addressed Ayame, "you wanna go pilot the ship for a bit?" It was obvious he was trying to distract her to the adults, but she almost bounced into his arms, smiling widely.

"Yeah, Unca Tony! Aya likes when you let her do that. Can Aya go?" she beseeched both her parents. They nodded and let her go, giving her kisses before she disappeared with Tony out of the lounge.

"Ah, she'll be okay. I can see the two o' ya worryin' already, but she's just gotta get used to the idea," Mary told Jr. and Shion.

Shelley added, "Ayame is simply afraid of having to share when she has never had to do so before. Once she discovers that she will not lose either of her parents to her new brother or sister, she will be more accepting."

Jr.'s face cleared, and he shot Mary a joking look. "See what you're missing by not having any kids?"

Mary lifted her hands and waved them at him to ward him off. "Uh-uh, no way. I ain't havin' no kids. I like bein' able to send Ayame right on back to you and Shion, and I'll be doin' the same with the new ones comin'. Aunt's all I like to play."

"Nothing wrong with that." Allen threw in his two cents on the matter. "We're going to have three running around the ship pretty soon, and I'm thinking that's more than enough for right now. So if you and Tony don't want kids, you'll have plenty to keep you busy when you want them." He laughed, and Jr. shook his head.

"Lot of help you are, Allen," he said, and Allen shrugged in answer, grinning. "Anyway, to set my wife's mind at ease, are you two okay with the fact that we're right behind you now?" Shion turned in his arms and tapped him on the chest, giving him an annoyed look. "What? This way we'll know for sure, so you don't keep on worrying." She rolled her eyes and sighed but remained quiet, obviously awaiting what Allen and Shelley had to say in response.

"Why wouldn't it be okay?" Allen asked, looking confused. "I don't think we have a monopoly on having kids or anything. You two are allowed to have one at the same time. Oh, wait, let me check with my wife first," he said, a teasing note in his voice. He drew Shelley close, and she smiled at Shion.

"I do not have a single issue with sharing this time with you. In fact, it will be beneficial to our children to be so close in age. Hopefully, it will ensure that they become very good friends. Now please do not worry any longer." Shelley stepped out of Allen's arms, and Shion did the same with Jr. They hugged, and Shelley finished, "I am, however, jealous that you have already been through this and are an expert on dealing with the ups and downs."

"Shion's not the expert on dealing with the ups and downs," Jr. inserted. "I'm the one who has to deal with the mood swings." He jumped back when Shion swung around, chuckling. "You know I had to say it! There you go, Allen. Tip number one, pregnant women don't have the best senses of humor." Seeing both Shelley and Shion glaring at him, he lifted his hands in surrender. "Done now. Not saying another word."

Nearly everyone else finally stepped forward to offer their congratulations. The Professor, however, remained in the booth to shake his head at the thought of The Arrogant One reproducing yet again. He didn't believe for an instant that a second child of Jr.'s could win his heart the way the baby girlie had. He buried himself in breakfast, just as the others eventually did, and didn't look up until he'd finished and was ready to leave the lounge. He left without a word, causing Jr. to glare after him. Shion rested a hand on his arm. "Jr., don't let him bother you. Please, just ignore it for once. There's my little girl!" she cried, looking up to see Tony returning with an ecstatic Ayame.

Ayame rushed to her parents and climbed onto Jr.'s lap. "Aya got to pilot, Daddy! Unca Tony helped, but she did almost all the work!" she told him proudly.

Happy that his daughter seemed to have forgotten her earlier despondency, Jr. hugged her tightly. "I'm glad you had fun, little one. So what do you plan on doing today, anyway?"

"Aya's going to stay with you for a while, and then you have to bring her down to the workroom. But you can't be mean, Daddy," she admonished, shaking a finger at him.

"Uh, sure, I can do that," Jr. said reluctantly, and not much later, everyone went their separate ways for the time being.

That evening, Jr. had gotten involved in a discussion with Matthews that kept him from returning to the cabin until late. He knew Ayame would already be asleep as he stopped outside the door, and he sighed. Her feeling of being forgotten about because of the new baby would not improve if he missed saying good night to her too often. When he stepped through the door, intending on at least going to her crib and saying good night to her sleeping form, his eyebrows drew together when he heard her give a shout of delight. "Daddy, Aya's been waiting for you!" She rushed toward him, and, without thinking, he bent down to catch her in his arms.

"And what's my little one still doing up? It's way past your bedtime. What's Mommy got to say about this?" he questioned and was surprised when he saw Ayame turn pink.

"Mommy's fine, Daddy," she babbled. "She knew Aya wanted to see you, so she let her stay up. No, you don't have to talk to her!"

Her insistent tone caused a strange feeling to bubble within Jr., and he made his way further into the room to see Shion sitting calmly and quietly on the bed. It was the very peacefulness of the pose that had Jr. putting Ayame down and rushing to his wife to pull her close. He tilted her chin up and saw the blank gaze she was directing at him. "Aya, do you know what's wrong with Mommy?" he said, possessing the answer before she even spoke.

Ayame turned her head from him. "Aya just wanted to stay up to see you…"

"Aya, tell me what happened. I promise I won't get angry, but I need you to tell me, okay?" Jr. pushed Shion's hair out of her face, but she didn't react to his touch and her eyes continued to remain blank.

"Aya told Mommy she didn't want to go to bed yet, but Mommy told her she had to. Aya touched Mommy's face and said she wanted to stay up until you came back, Daddy. Then Mommy set her down and went to sit on the bed." Ayame came close to Jr., resting her head on his leg.

"Can you tell Mommy that you're ready to go to bed then? It might be the only thing that snaps her out of the daze she's in, little one." He picked Ayame up and watched as she pressed her fingers to Shion's temple, whispering softly to her. Shion shook herself lightly, her eyes clearing. "We need to have a talk, little one. Sweetheart, you just lie down and rest for a little bit. I'll talk to you once I'm done talking to Aya." He gently pressed Shion back despite her protests and dropped a kiss on her open mouth. "I swear I'll explain after I talk to Aya, but it's really important I talk to her first. Just give me a couple of minutes, okay?" Shion agreed, but she didn't look happy to be doing so.

Once he'd taken a seat in his leather chair, he pulled Ayame up into his lap. She leaned her head against him, looking up at him with worried emerald eyes. "Is Aya in trouble?" she murmured sadly.

He stroked a hand over her soft and flowing red hair gently. "No, little one, you're not in trouble. I do have to talk to you about what happened, though. You know what you did to Mommy, right? You used the sound of your voice to get her to listen to you."

"Aya was mad at Mommy for trying to put her to sleep before she got to see you, Daddy. She wanted Mommy to stop telling her that she had to go to sleep," Ayame pouted.

"I don't think that's why you did it, Aya. Are you mad at Mommy because she's going to have a new baby?" Jr. asked her, and she buried her face in his chest. "That's it, isn't it? Oh, little one, I swear to you we're not trying to replace you. We'll love you and your new brother or sister equally."

"Aya's scared!" she sobbed. "What if you and Mommy like the new baby better? Aya would be sad…" She trailed off, nestling against him as though trying to become a part of him.

"Can you trust me when I say that won't happen, little one? Can you trust that we'll love both of you the same?" He moved her back into a standing position in his lap so she was forced to look at him.

"Aya will try, Daddy," she said softly, stretching out a hand to touch his face.

"All right, we'll work with that for right now. I've got one more thing I want to talk to you about, though, so can you stay awake a little longer?" She nodded, moving close to him and laying her head on his shoulder. "What you did to Mommy just before…you can't do that, Aya. Coming from me, this is going to sound ironic, but I think I know better than anyone the truth of it. You have to be careful with the powers you have. You can't just use them because you're hurt, or angry, or want to get back at someone. Do you know what I mean?"

She nuzzled into his neck. "Yes, Aya knows. She can only use them because she needs to, not because she wants to. She won't do it again, Daddy. She'll go tell Mommy she's sorry…" He set her on the floor and allowed her to lead him back toward the bed, where her mother had returned to her former sitting position. Ayame rushed toward Shion, who caught her in her arms. "Aya's sorry, Mommy! Please don't be mad at her!" she cried, throwing her arms around Shion's neck.

"It's all right, sweetie," Shion said, kissing her on the forehead. "I would never be mad at you. Now how about you finally get to sleep tonight?" It didn't take long for Ayame to fall asleep in her mother's soft embrace, and Shion placed her in the crib lovingly, caressing her back before she turned away. "Will you explain to me what happened?" she asked Jr. when she joined him in their bed.

He shifted up onto his elbow, looking down at her as his other hand slid beneath her satin pajama top. "Still flat," he teased her, and she narrowed her eyes at him. "Sorry. Anyway, what's the last thing you remember before you saw me and Aya before?"

She appeared thoughtful for a time before saying, "I had picked Ayame up to bring her to the sofa, and she brought her hand to my face. She said…something to me that I can't recall, and then I felt like I blanked out. Did she do something, Jr.?"

His hand moved upward, and she arched under his touch. While he knew she wouldn't get angry over what had happened, he was attempting to keep her somewhat pliant. "Aya used hypnosis on you, sweetheart," he said quietly, and he felt her stiffen beneath his hand.

"Why?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"The gist of it was because she's upset over the new baby, and she was acting out. I talked to her about not using her powers like that anymore, and I don't think she will. She's mentally strong, sweetheart, just like Gaignun was. I think she might even be stronger. Are you upset with her?" He bent his head slightly to stare into her eyes, continuing to stroke his hand over the area beneath the pajama top.

"No, because I understand why she's upset. I also know she's a little more attached to you, which could be why I got the blame for the new baby. It's good that you talked to her, though, since she needs to know she can't do that. I think it's best it came from you, considering all you went through with your Red Dragon power," she told him, sliding her arms around his neck.

"It just felt kind of ironic to me," he said with a chuckle, and she smiled. "I'm hoping this means she'll settle down and stop worrying, but she **is **your daughter…" She wrinkled her nose at him as he lowered his head to give her a butterfly-soft kiss. "Like Mary once said, you can't get any more pregnant than you already are, but that's sure as hell not gonna stop me from doing this…" He moved so that she was above him and, placing his hands on her hips, proceeded to show her exactly what he meant.

**Author's note 2 – **Yes, another humongous chapter from me (one I'm not altogether happy with again…) I guess that's to make up for those shorter stories I've been writing! Anyway, I hope you're all loving Ayame, and that she's making sense to you. After all, this is Xenosaga, and anything is possible, right? XD


	35. Nearing The End Of The Journey

**Author's note – **Less of a time shift now. Our little Ayame is just about 2 years old, and Shelley and Shion are 6 and 5 months pregnant, respectively. Let's see what I can get accomplished in this chapter. XD

Jr. met Shion down in the area over the former E.S. hangar. "Aya's spending some time with Mary. How come you wouldn't let me pick you up after you finished working, huh? What's with us meeting here?" His blue eyes widened as she grasped his royal blue sweater in her hand and pulled him close. "Uh, what are you doing, sweetheart?"

She stood on tiptoe to slide her arms around his neck and kiss him passionately. "You know what I'm looking for," she whispered, and he glanced around furtively.

"Jesus, you weren't like this when you were pregnant with Aya…" he muttered before their mouths met again. "We can't do this here. They put that damn bathroom down in the hangar. We've gotta move so someone doesn't walk into something they weren't expecting." Though she'd gained some weight due to her pregnancy, she was still more than light enough for him to lift up into his arms. He moved into KOS-MOS' old maintenance room and lowered her to the floor. She leaned back against the wall and pulled him forward.

Just as her arms had tightened around his neck and she'd loosed a breathy sigh, he heard Matthews paging him. His breathing heavy and ragged, he cursed. "What the hell is he calling me for, dammit? At least he waited until we were done, anyway. I think you've got more of a libido than me right now, sweetheart, and that's pretty damn bad," he told her with a grin.

"I don't know what it is," she said, blushing prettily. "I'm not going to question it, though. Let's hurry and get up to the bridge."

They met Mary and Ayame as they stepped off the elevator, and Ayame nearly leapt into her father's arms. "How come you're out of breath, Daddy?" she questioned, and he flushed.

"Uh, I ran to the elevator when I heard Matthews paging me," he lied, and Mary lifted an eyebrow at him. "Coming to the bridge with me and Mommy?"

"Yes! Aya will see you later, Aunt Mary!" Ayame waved a small hand in farewell, and then the Kukai family set off for the bridge.

"So, what's up, Matthews?" Jr. asked after they'd stepped through the door.

"Don't know if you felt that weird shift and all, but it looked to all of us like we column jumped, Little Master. MOMO said she and Scientia had finished working out all of the bugs with the new UMN, so I'm thinkin' a jump is the only way we could be seeing what we're seeing now." Matthews pointed to the picture Hammer had displayed, and Jr. followed the direction of his finger.

"Crap, is that what I'm thinking it is?" he breathed.

"Looks like we mighta found Lost Jerusalem is what I'm thinkin'," Matthews answered. "Don't know how the hell we managed it, but it's out there. Still gonna be a little bit until we get there, but we made it."

"I think we're going to need to tell everyone to prepare them that the journey's nearly at an end," Jr. said thoughtfully. "Never thought I'd get to say those words, if I'm honest about it."

Ayame bounced impatiently in his arms. "Daddy, what's 'Lost Jerusalem'?"

"You'll see soon enough, little one," he replied with a smile, hugging her close.

At dinner that night, Jr. and Matthews both broke the news that they seemed to finally be approaching Lost Jerusalem. After everyone had gotten over the shock that their journey had actually been productive, cheers went up. "That means we'll all be able to get out and stretch our legs," Mary sighed happily. "I don't know about y'all, but I'm kinda tired o' lookin' at the inside o' this ship all the time."

"Aya likes the _Elsa_," Ayame said, pouting. "She doesn't want to leave it!"

Allen spoke up. "So then that means our kids won't be growing up on the ship. I guess I'd just resigned myself to it. It's good to hear that we found it. So, how long will it take to get there?"

"Ain't gonna take long at all. Hammer estimated we'll get there sometime within the next day or two," Matthews responded. "Moron better not be wrong, either…"

Hammer waved a hand. "Trust me. I'm thinking it'll be more along the lines of late tomorrow. Wonder what we'll find there."

"Only way to know is to actually get there and step off the ship," Jr. said with a laugh. "Now that you guys are all prepared, let's eat up. Since we don't know what we'll be walking into, we'll need to be alert. Best way to do that is to eat and get some sleep tonight. That's an order, by the way."

Later on, after everyone had gone to bed, two couples remained awake to contemplate the changes finding Lost Jerusalem would have on them. Jr. and Shion were slightly worried about Ayame's reaction. "She's grown to think of this ship as home," Shion fretted. "Will she be able to accept something else?"

"She's smart as a whip, but she's still young, sweetheart. It might be a little tough at first, but she'll have everyone with her. That'll keep it from being too much of a shock. That doesn't mean I'm not worried about her, but I do think she's pretty damn resilient. She has us, and we'll help her with what she's feeling." Jr. caressed her rounded stomach with his hand. "You and Shelley will be the first to have children on Lost Jerusalem again. Kind of strange when you think about it, huh?"

"You're trying to keep me from worrying about Ayame," she said, narrowing her emerald eyes. "While it won't work, it is strange in its own way that you said that. It's almost like we'll be aiding in repopulating the planet…"

"Well, the Gnosis that chaos and Nephilim shifted there should have regained their human forms. I think, anyway," Jr. said, his eyebrows drawing together. "Or maybe they won't until we actually reach the planet. Not like chaos ever liked to be specific."

She giggled. "That's true. We'll just have to wait to see what happens when we land there." She rested her head upon his shoulder as his arm curled around her. "Are you too tired for one more round?" she asked quietly, surprising him because he'd thought she was falling asleep.

"Goddamn, sweetheart, that's got to be the fourth time today!" he exclaimed. "You gonna give me a break after this?" He moved above her, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I'm not about to promise anything." Her voice sounded prim, even as her arms circled his neck and she pressed against him. He lowered his head to kiss her, and thoughts of Lost Jerusalem were put to the backs of their minds while they lost themselves in one another.

In their room, Allen and Shelley were having somewhat of a similar conversation as they wondered what finally reaching Lost Jerusalem held in store for their unborn child. "I am happy to see our journey has been productive, but I worry about what may happen. At the very least, we know this ship is safe, unless we are attacked. We will be walking onto Lost Jerusalem armed with no knowledge."

He stroked her lavender hair. "I'm worried, too, but I think we have to hold off on letting it go full-blown unless we're given a reason. Our baby's lucky in that he or she will know, right from the start, something we never did until now. Our baby's going to know home. Or what always should have been home. Does that make any sense?" he asked her, and she smiled.

"It makes the perfect kind of sense. While we are happy aboard the _Elsa_, it is not always conducive to raising a child. Do you not feel that Ayame will have an issue when we reach Lost Jerusalem? She has grown so attached to this ship, having lived on it for two years of her life." Shelley sighed, and she rested a hand on her stomach gently.

"Yeah, I think Jr. and Shion are going to have their work cut out for them," Allen agreed. "As much as we wanted a child before now, maybe it was for the best that it took so long for it to actually happen. We're not going to be going through with ours what they'll be dealing with when it comes to Ayame. How's our little one doing in there, anyway?" He placed his hand on hers.

"Keeping busy," she told him with another smile. "It may very well be another restless night."

"You know I'll have no problem staying up and talking." He grinned at her before pulling her close and stroking a hand over the curve of her stomach. "How about you let your mom get some sleep? Unless you like listening to the sound of our voices all of the time…" She nestled against him, and he whispered, "Just wake me up if you can't sleep. Or since I've become such a light sleeper, I'll probably already know. I love you." She murmured her love to him, and then he felt her body loosen in sleep.

---

It was early evening by everyone's standards aboard the _Elsa _when Lost Jerusalem finally came into view. While the Professor and Scott had remained on the lower level, refusing to abandon their work, all the others had gathered upon the bridge. Ayame narrowed her eyes at the planet they were approaching. "Daddy, what is that?" she demanded imperiously from her comfortable perch in his arms.

"That, little one, is home," Jr. told her, kissing her on the forehead when she turned her head to stare at him. "It's what we've all been looking for." He shifted her into one arm and drew Shion near. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but he saw her eyes suddenly focus on something that wasn't Lost Jerusalem. "Jr., it can't be…" she whispered.

His gaze fell upon what had caught her attention, and he sucked in a breath. "Dammit, but it is!" His eyes met Allen's, and in Allen's wide-eyed stare, he saw that Allen had indeed seen what he had. "It's KOS-MOS!" Trying to recover his wits, he shook his head. "Look, we've got to go outside and get her. We sure as hell can't leave her floating out there."

Allen spoke quietly. "Then let's go and get her. The Professor said the combat suits have the capability to head out into space, so we shouldn't have any problems there. Let's just hope she doesn't take off on us like she's done before. I'm betting she won't, since her destination was always Lost Jerusalem. She's made it, so she shouldn't have a reason to avoid us." He and Jr. nodded at one another.

Shelley said softly, "You both need to be careful. Although it seems calm enough in the space beyond the ship, we do not know if that will change. Do what you must and return quickly."

Jr. turned to Shion and saw an intensity in her emerald eyes that took him off-guard. A strange suspicion began to form within him, but he knew he didn't have the time to speak to her about it. "Take Aya," he told her firmly. "Allen and I are getting KOS-MOS, and we'll be back before anyone can miss us." He gave her a kiss and had the strange suspicion confirmed when the kiss was returned in a distracted manner. "I think we're going to have to talk, but we'll leave it for later. You be good for Mommy, Aya." He kissed his daughter on the top of her head as she pouted.

"Come back quick, Daddy," she said, her lower lip pushed out. "Aya will worry if you don't."

Shion shook her head, and he noticed her eyes clear. "I'm sorry," she said softly, and he knew she'd realized how she was coming across. "Be careful out there. Until you come back, I'll be in here worrying about you." She set an impatient Ayame down beside her and pressed close to him. "Look after Allen, and don't be afraid to let him look after you, okay?"

He tilted her chin up, and she returned his kiss fiercely. "You know it. I've got three important people to come back to." He turned to Allen. "You ready to head out?"

Allen pulled away from Shelley somewhat reluctantly and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready. We'll be back soon," he promised his wife, resting a hand on her rounded stomach.

"I know," she told him with a gentle smile. "I will see you when you return." She and Shion watched as the two men headed off the bridge. Ayame stood beside her mother with her arms folded and her small mouth set mutinously.

It didn't take Jr. and Allen long to exit the _Elsa_ in the combat suits. The Professor had reassured them that he'd be keeping an eye on the suits to be sure nothing went wrong, although Jr. wasn't stocking much faith in his abilities. "She was over on the other side of the ship when Shion spotted her. Let's head over that way, but make sure you keep an eye out," Jr. warned Allen.

Once they'd moved around to the other side, Allen exclaimed, "There she is! So how are we bringing her onto the ship?" The combat suits could only fit one person, so they couldn't maneuver KOS-MOS into either of theirs.

"Can these things grasp stuff so they can carry it?" Jr. asked. "It's the only damn option we've got, Allen. We don't have anything to secure her to us. We need to get closer to her…" As they drifted closer to the floating android, Jr. let out a cry. "Goddamn, she's in a helluva state! She's lost her lower body."

"It's a good thing we still have those specs for her original frame," Allen said grimly. "Otherwise, we'd never stand a chance of fixing her." He fell silent as a bright glow began to surround KOS-MOS. The glow became nearly unbearable to watch, and both Jr. and Allen turned their heads from it. When they were finally able to look back, the glow seemed to have separated from KOS-MOS and was headed in the direction of Lost Jerusalem. "That was really weird," Allen said slowly. "I know I've said it before, but that glow reminds me of how chaos got rid of that Gnosis. Do you think…?"

"Who the hell knows?" Jr. responded, his voice full of the wonder Allen was feeling. "But we've gotta get KOS-MOS back on the ship right now, so we don't have time to worry about it. If the glow is related to chaos, I'm willing to bet we'll run across him, too." He moved the combat suit forward and tried to take hold of KOS-MOS, but she evaded him somehow. "Why don't you give it a try? It's not like KOS-MOS and I were really close, so maybe she'd feel better with you bringing her in."

KOS-MOS didn't elude Allen when he did as Jr. said, and they hurried to board the _Elsa _again. They let the Professor know that they were returning with KOS-MOS, and he and Scott met them to relieve them of her. "We'll just take her to her old maintenance room," the Professor said, stroking his chin as he examined her broken body. "Go and get the girly, so she can help us determine what needs to be done."

"You stay with him," Jr. ordered Allen, who nodded quickly. "I'll get Shion and Aya, and I'll let Shelley know what's going on. Jesus, Shion's going to be devastated when she sees her…" His blue eyes wandered over KOS-MOS briefly, and then he rushed away up the stairs and disappeared through the doorway at the top of the hangar.

"So do you think we'll be able to restore her, Professor?" Allen asked, noting the loss of color KOS-MOS had sustained in floating through space for such a length of time. "We don't even have a full frame to work with this time. Last time, we just had to modify her other frame to fit Kevin's plans. Do we have what we need to fix more than a black box?"

"You worry too much, Assistant #2," the Professor tossed at him, annoyed. "Do you think I've been rocking back on my heels, doing nothing, while you all did the work? We've got plenty of Erde Kaiser parts to choose from! We'll get Assistant #3 back to working order! Now let's get her into the maintenance room, before we all grow old!"

In the maintenance room, Allen continued to worry while the Professor heaved annoyed sighs. Jr. returned with Shion and Ayame, with Shelley close behind them, having felt her presence was needed there. Shion rushed to the pod KOS-MOS had been placed in, her face showing the anguish she felt at seeing her friend in such a state. "We'll have to get to work right away," she fretted. "Who knows what other damage has been done to her in all the time she's been out there? Oh, KOS-MOS, this is not what I would have wished for you…" She rested a hand on the side of the pod, lowering her head to hide her tears.

"Mommy, Aya doesn't like to see you cry," Ayame sniffled, making her way over to her mother and clinging to her leg.

Shion had just bent to carefully lift Ayame into her arms, when Jr. joined them both beside the pod. He pulled his family close. "She's gonna be okay," he reassured a weeping Shion. "I may not have much faith in this old man, but the four of you fixed her up just fine the last time. I know you can all do it again. Then we can introduce her to our little one, and a little while after that, she can meet the other two who are on the way."

"I love you," Shion whispered, nuzzling close to him as tears still zigzagged down her cheeks. Ayame remained silent, choosing instead to hide her face in her mother's neck while Jr. stroked a gentle hand over her hair as he held Shion close.

Allen slid an arm around Shelley's expanding waist to draw her near. "You didn't have to come here," he told her gently.

"Of course I did," she replied, her lavender eyes soft. "I felt that you might need me when the Little Master spoke of the condition KOS-MOS was in. You are, after all, one of her creators, and I did not believe the discovery would be an easy one for you. As your wife, it is my duty to be by your side in times like these."

Allen opened his mouth to reply, but he became preoccupied with holding onto his wife when the ship tilted. "What's going on?" he cried.

"I'm not sure," Jr. answered tersely, but the look in his eyes as he tightened his arms about Shion to keep Ayame safely between them said differently. He lifted his chin at Scott and then jerked it in the direction of the intercom in the room. "Page the bridge. See what Matthews can tell you."

Scott hurried to do as he'd been ordered, stumbling once when the ship rocked again. Matthews responded immediately, and his voice was full of angry panic. "What the hell is this, Little Master?! Is KOS-MOS drawin' these things or what? Seems like every time she's around, they're not far behind!"

"Crap, I had a feeling it might be them again," Jr. muttered, and shocked gazes turned to him. "Because of what Matthews just said. Every time we run into KOS-MOS, these things are around. She's gotta be drawing them somehow. We've got to figure out a plan, and this time, they're going down for good. KOS-MOS is gonna be with us from now on, so we can't have these goddamn things tailing us all of the time."

Ayame removed her face from her mother's neck to glare at her father. "Daddy, you promised Aya no more bad words!" Surprisingly, she didn't seem overwhelmingly frightened, though her green eyes widened when the _Elsa_ dipped to the side again.

"Think you can forgive me this time, little one?" Jr. asked, chuckling when, despite the situation, she rolled her eyes and gave a grudging nod. "Okay, we need to get up to the bridge. It feels more like they're playing around right now than really attacking, so I think we'll manage. Let me have Aya, sweetheart, while I keep one arm around you. Allen, you okay with Shelley?"

"Yeah, I'm good. We'll be right behind you. Then again, if you waste any more time, you'll be bringing up the rear," Allen said jokingly. He'd picked up on Jr.'s subtle wish to keep the atmosphere light so that Ayame wouldn't become anxious until there was a true need for it. Jr. shot him a mock glare and, after giving in to the Professor's demand to stay with Assistant #3, led the way out of the maintenance room.

"Where the hell you been, Little Master?" Matthews' head whipped around and down when the door of the bridge opened. "Nothin' like taking your sweet time to get your ass up here!"

"Shut it, Matthews," Jr. returned, though without any heat. "Allen and I have two pregnant women to think about, along with a cute, little bundle of energy. So now that I'm here, fill me in."

"Well, it ain't like they've been doing all that much yet -" Matthews cut the rest of his statement off when there was a vicious attack to the left side of the _Elsa_. "Crap, this ain't right! My poor baby hasn't even been fixed from the last damn time," he mourned after everyone had regained their balance.

"Okay, so they're stepping it up," Jr. noted, earning evil looks all around due to the obviousness of his statement. "We're still too long of a distance from Lost Jerusalem, so we can't try landing there to shake them or anything. We're going to have to take them out. I'm guessing this must be the few we didn't get before. Since those damn suits worked before, we'll have to use them again. Now I need to know who the hell's going with me." He kissed a still largely unfrightened Ayame when her mouth pursed. "You can yell at me when this is over, little one. Right now, I'm just a little mad, so bear with me."

Allen glanced at Shelley, who nodded at him in understanding. He stepped forward. "If you're okay with it, I'll back you up this time, too."

"That's a damn stupid thing to say, Allen," Jr. said, shaking his head. It was clear from his tone that he didn't mean it as an insult. He swore heavily when there was another attack, and he fell to the floor, buffering Shion and Ayame against him. "We've got to get the hell out there. They're not playing around anymore, and I doubt Tony's gonna be able to withstand much more of their attacks."

Allen, who had pulled Shelley to him as they'd fallen, agreed. "Yeah, we need to take care of them before they destroy the ship. Shelley," he addressed his wife tenderly, "I'd feel better if I knew you were somewhere safer than the bridge. How about you and Shion head to her and Jr.'s room? That way, you can keep an eye on each other."

Shelley nodded quickly as he helped her to her feet. "That does seem to be the best course of action. Do you agree, Shion?"

"I do, but I want you to promise that you'll both be careful," Shion said to Jr., staring into his eyes. "I'd tell you to hurry back, but it's more important that you pay attention to what you're doing. Ayame and I will be here, waiting for you."

"You take care of Mommy, Aya," Jr. said, smiling at his daughter. "And make sure you listen to her and Aunt Shelley. That's really important, okay?" He helped Shion to her feet while Ayame pouted.

"Aya doesn't like that you're going out again, Daddy," she whined. "She's scared something might happen to you and Unca Allen!"

"I'll look after your dad," Allen promised, laying a hand on her tousled red hair and watching as she hugged her red dragon plushie close. "And he'll keep an eye on me. Right, Jr.?"

"Hell, yeah," Jr. replied, sweeping Ayame up into his arms. "You know your uncle's good for his word. Now you hurry off with Mommy and Aunt Shelley, okay? We need to know you're in a safer spot before we go." He and Shion exchanged kisses as Ayame squeezed him around the neck. After Allen and Shelley had parted with soft kisses, the two women left with a reluctant redheaded toddler in tow.

Mary, who had been occupied with helping Tony try to evade some attacks by pointing out ones she saw coming, turned to Jr. and Allen. "Well, ya know I'm comin' with ya. Can't trust the two o' ya to take 'em down alone."

Jr. shook his head. As Mary opened her mouth to protest, he said quietly, "I need people I can trust to stay inside the ship. I can't guarantee that we won't see them attempting to enter or that Allen and I will definitely be able to keep them out. With you, Tony, and Matthews in here, I know Shion, Aya, and the baby Shion's carrying will be okay. And you've got to keep an eye on Shelley, too. Otherwise, you won't be seeing your niece or nephew."

Mary chewed on her lower lip briefly before answering. "I got ya. I can back ya up from in here. Get on out there and do what ya have to. Can't have two pregnant women worryin' for long, ya know."

It didn't take long for Jr. and Allen to get down to the lower level and into the combat suits. Knowing the danger that existed outside the ship, the Professor didn't give Jr. a hard time when he demanded that the combat suits be watched over carefully. Once they'd exited the ship, they found a small group of the creatures attacking the sides. "Allen, I think we can get rid of them pretty damn quickly. Especially since they're not even aware that we're out here yet. Come on."

As Jr. had predicted, the small group was easy to eliminate. Jr. used the guns his combat suit was equipped with, while Allen switched between his suit's capability to use both swords and guns. They were nearly to the cargo hold where they'd exited when they saw two dark forms enter ahead of them. "Goddammit!" Jr. shouted. "Those two must have broken from the group!" Without another word, he and Allen rushed back into the ship and abandoned the suits quickly.

"Where the hell did they go?" Allen cried. While he didn't rely on cursing as a way to get his point across, he did tend toward them if he was extremely emotional. "Jr., we can't let them get to the upper level! It's where Shelley, Shion, and Ayame are!"

Jr. was already flying up the steps of the hangar. He threw over his shoulder, "Then hurry up and get your ass in gear! Grab a goddamn rifle and make yourself useful!" He disappeared through the door just as Allen located the assault rifle he'd used in the past. Allen rushed to follow after him.

They both stepped off the elevator to find one of the creatures down due to Mary's and Tony's efforts. The final creature was advancing upon them as they struggled to reload their weapons. Jr. took aim at the creature from behind, but it seemed to sense the new presences and spun to evade the shot. "Allen, see if you can take it out!" Tony yelled, seeing the creature's attention focus on the tall redhead taking aim again.

Allen raised the assault rifle and squeezed the trigger, but nothing happened. "It's jammed!" he shouted, fighting with the cartridge the rifle had loaded within it. "Jr., look out!" He'd seen the attack coming, as had Jr., but it came too fast for Jr. to sidestep. Allen let out a cry of alarm as he saw the creature take hold of Jr. as though he weighed next to nothing. Jr. struggled futilely in its grip while Mary and Tony raced to finish reloading their guns. Before they could squeeze off a shot, the creature sank its claws deep into Jr.'s stomach, causing him to give a pained cry. It then tossed him aside like a mere ragdoll. He hit the wall and slid to the floor, unmoving as blood pooled around him.

Seeing Jr. go down disheartened the remaining fighters, and the creature turned to face Allen. His eyes widened as it moved toward him. There was the sudden sound of a door sliding open and a small, childish voice rang out. "You hurt Aya's daddy, and now she's going to make you wish you didn't!" Allen heard Shion scream Ayame's name before the creature froze in its advancement upon him. "You can't move unless Aya says so, and she doesn't. Unca Allen, you can kill it now." Knowing there wasn't time to question how Ayame had managed to bring the creature to a halt, Allen popped the cartridge back into the assault rifle. He squeezed the trigger lightly after he saw Shion drag Ayame back and was amazed when it fired. He took the creature down quickly, and then panic settled aboard the _Elsa_.

Shion rushed to Jr., falling to her knees beside him. Ayame was close behind her, and she touched her father's face sadly. "Will Daddy be okay, Mommy?" she whispered.

"Jr., can you hear me?" Shion cried, stroking his cheek and trying to contain her fear for Ayame's sake. "Mary, can you please take Ayame while I try to see how badly hurt he is? Sweetie," she said pleadingly when Ayame looked mutinous, "please do this for me. It will help Daddy out if you do." Though her mouth was still pursed, Ayame allowed Mary to take her hand and lead her away after her mother's plea.

"How is he, Shion?" Allen knelt beside Shion, who turned an agonized face to him.

"He's unconscious, Allen. He's bleeding heavily, and it's worse because it looks like that creature's claws ripped upward when it threw him. Shelley, can we get him started with the nanomachines immediately?" Shion questioned, swiping at her tears.

"Of course we can. Tony, please be careful moving the Little Master. We do not wish to injure him further. Allow Captain Matthews to aid you. In fact, it might be a wiser choice to place him upon something that will keep him in a securely flat position. Do not worry, Shion. Little Master would not leave you or his family," Shelley said gently.

Shion watched tearfully as Tony and Matthews returned quickly with a stretcher they'd had stowed aboard the ship in case of any emergencies. They carefully placed Jr. upon it and brought him into his and Shion's room as Shion followed closely behind. Allen turned to Shelley. "I won't keep you. I'll let you go and help Jr., while I go and talk to Charles. As a doctor, I'm thinking he might have some advice to give. I'll let you know what he says, okay?" He gave her a quick kiss, and they parted ways, each looking to help Jr. in any way they could.

**Author's note 2 – **So I'm being evil and leaving this at a cliffhanger. Because I can! Oh, and this chapter gave me huge issues, so I'm sorry for the delay. Since I don't see many reviews (only E.S. Simeon seems to still be with me…), maybe no one will mind it, anyway. If you're following the story, please let me know. While I'll still continue it no matter what, I'm just beginning to wonder if anyone even cares about it…


	36. Destination Reached

**Author's note – **So I'm sure you've all noticed that my updates are getting a little sporadic. I've been losing my writer's focus a lot, and that's why I've been concentrating on shorter stories as of late. I've now reread through Chapter 35 to recall what exactly happened in it, so I'm going to attempt to write a somewhat consistent Chapter 36 here. Besides, I left poor Jr. in really bad shape, didn't I?

Allen rushed onto the bridge and hurried to contact the _Dämmerung_. He realized luck must have been with him when the call was answered immediately. MOMO's image appeared, and she knew from Allen's expression that something was seriously wrong. "Allen, what is it?" she cried. "The look on your face is scaring me!"

"MOMO, is Charles around?" Allen asked, his terror over Jr.'s condition and the adrenaline pumping from the battle with the creature making his voice sound rough. "If so, you've got to get him, now!"

MOMO didn't stay to question why. She knew Allen well enough to understand that it was imperative for her to find Charles because Allen simply never sounded like he just had. She spun around and flew out of the room. Amazingly enough, she returned with Charles in tow a mere few minutes later. "Allen, what seems to be the problem?" Charles asked quickly.

"I don't know what you can really do, but since you're a doctor, maybe you can give some advice." Allen went over what had just happened, his words sometimes jumbling together in his need to get them out. "So, Jr.'s in really bad shape, Charles. As bad as Mary was before, nothing was punctured when she was attacked. This thing ripped a hole in Jr.'s stomach before it threw him into the wall! I don't know that the nanomachines will be able to keep up!"

Charles glanced at MOMO, who nodded and left without saying a word. "As luck would have it, Allen, the ship initiated a jump not that long ago. So we're not even that far from you. I'll be there as soon as I possibly can. Please do your best to keep Shion and Shelley as calm as possible. Stress will adversely affect their unborn children. Now go!" The authority in Charles' voice caused Allen to calm slightly, and he gave a quick nod of his head before he ended the transmission and left the bridge to let the _Elsa_'s occupants know what was going on.

Within the room Jr. and Shion shared, Mary was busily attempting to keep both Shion and Ayame as calm as possible. Ayame had demanded to be brought to her father after he'd been settled in the room, but Mary had refused to allow her near the Little Master while he was being taken care of. "Lil' one, your daddy needs lookin' after right now, so how 'bout we see how your mommy's doin'?" she'd begged Ayame, and the tiny redhead had given in with a pout. Shelley had asked Shion to stay back while she tended to the Little Master, and Ayame had given a squeak of surprise when Shion pulled her into her arms and squeezed her close. So now Mary was left with the rather large task of keeping the Little Master's family mentally occupied. Seizing the opportunity to ask about something that had had her wondering from the moment Ayame had appeared in the doorway to stop the creature, she said, "So how'd ya know what was goin' on, lil' one?"

Ayame's emerald eyes swung toward her as she twisted Shion's long hair between her fingers. "Unca Alby," she said simply.

Shion managed to tear her attention away from the furor surrounding her husband, though it was obvious she didn't do it easily. She caught sight of Mary's confused expression and sighed, but she didn't seem obliged to elaborate. She didn't want to break an unspoken standing promise she had with Jr. that no one know about the awakened Albedo beyond his actual family. Setting Ayame down, she tried to move closer to the bed Jr. had been placed upon, but Tony stepped in her path. "Hey, I know you're worried, Shion, but let Shelley do her thing. If ya go and get in her way, you'll just be distracting her." He saw a tear start to work its way down her cheek, and he slid an arm around her shoulders comfortingly. "He's gonna be okay. I know it looks bad, but Shelley's taking good care of him. Mary, maybe you should take her to the lounge…"

Shion shook her head fiercely. "I'm not leaving this room! Most of all, I'm not leaving Jr.!"

Mary took a gentle hold of her arm. "Then how 'bout ya come on over and sit down at the table with me? Ya know I ain't lettin' this 'Unca Alby' thing just lie, so I'm hopin' ya can explain what the lil' cutie's talkin' about." A silent Shion took Ayame by the hand, and they both trailed after Mary to the table within the room.

Before Shion could find a way to divert Mary's attention from the subject she seemed intent upon learning about, Allen hurried into the room with the news that Charles was on his way. He quickly explained about the _Dämmerung _making some kind of jump that had put it near the _Elsa_. The news that an actual doctor would be making an appearance seemed to relieve Shelley immensely, and she slumped against Allen. "It is very fortunate that this has happened. I do not have enough medical knowledge to aid the Little Master for much longer. I am trying as best I can, but his injuries are extremely severe." She kept her voice low so only he could hear her. She didn't wish to upset Shion or Ayame with the grim situation the Little Master was facing.

"The way he talked, it won't take him long to get here. Do you think you can handle things for a little bit longer?" he asked her, and she bit her lip.

"He is bleeding heavily, Allen, and I am not a surgeon. I have attempted to staunch the flow, and it does seem to have helped enough for the moment. Beyond that, I cannot do much, and neither can the nanomachines. They are working diligently to do what they can, but Charles is needed to bring the situation under control. Can I count on your assistance until he arrives?"

"You know I'll do what I can. Shion and Ayame can't lose Jr., and he's also a friend of mine. Just tell me what you need me to do." He squeezed her hand, and with a quick, gentle smile, they set about doing what they could for Jr. until Charles arrived.

Hearing that Charles was on his way had somehow managed to both calm and agitate Shion at the same time. The thought that an actual doctor would be aboard the _Elsa_ was comforting, but then the realization came that Jr.'s situation was far more critical than anyone had said. She got to her feet and, waving away Mary's protests, slipped past Tony and Matthews to be at her husband's side. The tears began to flow freely as she saw just what Shelley had tried to keep from her. Jr.'s face was white from the loss of blood he'd suffered so far, and there was no hint of motion from him. Almost afraid to touch him, she forced herself to take his limp hand in hers and then lifted it to her cheek. "Jr.," she whispered, "I'm right here. I'm not leaving your side unless I absolutely have to. Please hang on, because I'll be lost without you!"

She felt a small hand slip into her other hand. "Daddy will be okay, Mommy," Ayame said softly. "Unca Alby promised, and Aya believes him." Unable to say anything in return, Shion could only give her daughter a teary smile while Ayame pressed close to her.

Deep within himself, Jr. felt as though he was fighting a losing battle. He'd been struggling to open his eyes, but it felt as though they were weighted down. As difficult as it was to admit, he was terrified that he might not be able to return to his family. _Are my injuries that damn bad? Jesus, I can't leave Shion and Aya! Plus we've got the new baby on the way, and I sure as hell can't let Shion raise two kids on her own! But what if I don't have a choice in this? _

Albedo responded to his inner turmoil. _Well, it does appear that you're in quite the situation, Rubedo. Despite my numerous warnings that your body is not invincible, it seems you wished to test that theory. I do believe it's safe to say that I wasn't being presumptuous in my declaration that it could only withstand so much. Will you never learn that sometimes it's wise to listen to me?_

_Albedo, I don't have time for this! I need to get back to Shion! Why the hell can't I open my eyes?! _Jr.'s mental roar had Albedo tsking impatiently.

_From what I've gathered, you've lost enough blood that it's near miraculous you're still alive. Have you not been paying attention to what's going on around you? _When there was no reply from his twin, Albedo realized Rubedo had been lost to the stress his body was placing upon him. _I will not allow you to die if it can be averted. I did promise the little princess, and I'm not in the habit of breaking promises. I'm not you, after all. _Poking at Rubedo didn't have quite the same flair when he was unable to give a scathing response, and so Albedo decided it was best to simply listen to what was going on around Rubedo then.

Hammer, who had returned to the bridge after Allen had spoken of Charles coming to the ship, entered the room to announce that Charles had arrived. "It looks like MOMO's with him, too," he added.

Allen and Shelley glanced toward Shion. Both realized she wasn't in any shape to go to the lower level and bring Charles to Jr. "Allen, could I ask you to meet Charles? I am afraid to leave the Little Master's side at this point."

Allen nodded quickly. "I'll be right back with him." He hurried from the room and headed into the elevator. He met Charles and MOMO just inside the door to the old E.S. hangar. "I really hate to be short, but Jr. needs you, Charles. Shelley's scared she's losing him, and she doesn't know what else to do." He explained what he could along the way, Charles nodding and commenting where he needed to and MOMO listening silently to the conversation. They arrived outside the room Jr. and Shion shared, and Allen allowed Charles and MOMO to enter first.

"Charles," Shelley said, relieved, "I cannot say how happy I am to see you here. I have done everything I can, but I simply do not possess anywhere near the knowledge needed."

"I would have preferred someone else to deal with this situation, Shelley, due to your pregnancy. It obviously couldn't be helped, though. Now if you all don't mind, I'd like you to leave the room so I can work without disruption. MOMO will be staying to assist me." The room began to empty out, but Charles noticed that Shion had yet to leave her post at Jr.'s side. He nodded to MOMO, who moved toward her old friend.

There was no time for reunions; all that mattered was making sure Jr. survived. It was with that in mind that MOMO gently took Shion's hand and told her, "Shion, I promise that we'll take care of him. As hard as it is, though, you have to leave him for a little while. The instant I can, I'll come to you and let you know how he is."

Shion leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Jr.'s forehead. "I'm only going because I have to. I love you. Don't forget that." She took Ayame's hand in hers and led her from the room.

After what felt like ages later to everyone waiting in the lounge, MOMO finally appeared to update them on Jr.'s progress. She stopped in front of the booth Shion was seated at and saw that Ayame slept peacefully, her head resting on Shion's legs. "It was a little touch and go for a while, but Charles was able to stop the bleeding. Jr. suffered a lot of internal damage, but thankfully he didn't need any organ transplants. He's resting now, so you can go in to see him, Shion."

Shion eased out from under her daughter's head gently. Ayame gave a tiny yawn, but she didn't awaken. "Could you all please keep an eye on her while I'm gone? It's rare that she takes a nap like this, so I'm going to let her sleep." After Mary had agreed to keep watch over the small redhead, Shion left to check on Jr.

Keeping the noise level low due to the presence of the sleeping Ayame, Mary pulled MOMO into a warm embrace. "It's so good to see ya again! Ya ain't changed a bit, neither. How ya been?"

MOMO pulled back slightly to smile at the effervescent blond. "I've actually been pretty busy aboard the _Dämmerung_. I help Doctus out a lot, and I've made a really good friend in someone from the Foundation. I also help Charles out when he needs it. I haven't had much free time lately, so I should apologize to Shion that we haven't been able to talk much when she gets back."

Mary shook her head in a maternal fashion. "I don't think Shion's expectin' an apology. Same, ol' MOMO. Always worryin' about everyone else and how they're feelin'."

After everyone within the lounge had given the small, pink-haired Realian a hug, she spoke of her intent to return to Charles and make sure nothing else needed to be done. It was as she was headed toward the door of the lounge that she heard a small voice say very clearly, "Aya doesn't like you." She spun around to see the tiny redhead Shion had left within Mary's care sitting up and glaring at her with eyes exactly like Shion's. MOMO had only caught brief glimpses of Ayame since she'd spoken to Jr. and Shion about wanting to forgive them and move on, so she was a bit unprepared to see such an obvious mixture of Jr. and Shion looking back at her. It made her heart ache slightly when she thought about the daydreams she'd had of having a family with Jr. someday. It was the look of open dislike that Ayame wore that was hurting her the most, though. She didn't understand what she could have done to earn such an expression.

There was silence from everyone else in the lounge, as none of them knew quite to say. MOMO looked to Mary for support, but even she appeared to have lost the ability to speak. Ayame had gotten to her feet, and she made her way over to the shocked Realian, looking up at her with fierce green eyes. "I don't understand," MOMO said, hurt causing her lower lip to tremble as she spoke.

Ayame's eyes began to narrow. "Aya doesn't want you in her home. You don't belong here, and she wants you out," she hissed.

A tear slid over MOMO's cheek, and she turned away sadly. She didn't know Ayame well enough to try to reason with the child about why she was aboard the ship. She heard the door to the lounge slide open, but because her head was lowered, MOMO didn't know who had just entered until she heard the person speak. "Ayame Kiku Kukai, I want you to apologize this instant!" Shion demanded, and Ayame shook her head angrily. MOMO lifted her chin, and she met her friend's eyes.

"No, Shion, please don't force her to. It'll just upset her, and I don't want that to happen. It's all right. I'm just going to go and see if Charles needs anything." MOMO tried to smile at Shion, but her heart was too bruised to truly summon one. She made her way to the door and found herself stopped by Shion's hand on her shoulder.

"Then please let me apologize for her. She's only ever known what's here on the _Elsa_, and that's why she thinks you don't belong. That doesn't excuse her behavior toward you, and I'm sorry for it, MOMO." Shion attempted to hug MOMO, and a realization came to MOMO that hadn't struck her before.

"You're having another baby…" she said softly, pulling away to glance over Shion. She hadn't thought her heart could break into any more pieces than it already had, but the thought of Jr. and Shion sharing another child did indeed cause her another wave of grief. She'd come to terms with Jr. and Shion's relationship, but the hurt Ayame had wrought in her was wrapping itself around her and threatening to overwhelm her. With a small cry, she hurried from the lounge, not wanting anyone to see her tears.

Forcing herself not to follow after MOMO, Shion folded her arms across her chest and looked down at Ayame sternly. The tiny redhead stuck her chin out and glared back at her mother mutinously. "You will be apologizing when we see MOMO again. You can't talk like that to people, young lady. I hope she's all right. I thought we'd told her we were expecting another baby, though I don't understand why it upset her like it did…"

Mary, wanting to defuse the tension in the room Ayame's encounter with MOMO had caused, stepped forward. "Ya still gotta tell us how ya knew the Little Mastah was in trouble," she told Ayame, and Shion loosed a sigh at the change in subject. "Ain't no sense in lingerin' over it, Shion. The lil' one ain't changin' her mind any time soon, and ya know it. So out with it, lil' missy."

Ayame glanced up at Shion, and Shion sent up a silent apology to Jr. His secret was about to be told to all. She couldn't see a way to keep Albedo's awakening quiet any longer. _I can't think of a way to keep them from knowing any longer, so I hope you forgive me. There's just no way around it now. _"It's okay, sweetie. I guess we can't keep it a secret any longer…"

Mary's eyes narrowed speculatively, but she stayed quiet while Ayame told her story. "Unca Alby called to Aya. He told her that Daddy needed her, and she listened to him. She knows she can trust Unca Alby, so she went to the door. She saw that Daddy was lying on the floor, and she got mad. She didn't know what to do, but Unca Alby told her to join her powers with his and he would link with Daddy's. So that's what she did, and because Daddy was asleep, Aya had to be the one to tell the mean, old monster to stop. And it did." Ayame drew herself up to her full, petite size and looked rather proud of herself.

"Unca Alby? So ya mean Albedo woke up or somethin'?" Mary questioned.

Shion took Ayame's hand in hers. "He's been awake for a long time, but Jr. didn't want anyone to know. He doesn't want people looking at him like he's crazy. So I'd like to ask of you all a very important favor. Please don't let on that you know. At least not right now. Charles told me that Jr.'s going to have to remain in bed until he's completely healed, which is going to take a few days due to the extent of his injuries. He's going to be a bear because of that, so you know he'll be spoiling for a fight when he's able to get out and about. Can I trust you to not say anything?" She looked at them all a little desperately, and, seeing that, everyone agreed to keep their newfound knowledge to themselves. Tony grumbled a bit about the loss of picking on the Little Master, which caused Mary to hit him in the shoulder. With a relieved smile, Shion led Ayame out of the lounge because she was demanding to see her father.

--- A few days later ---

Shion entered the workroom, looking harried. As she'd expected, life with a Jr. forced into bed rest wasn't simple. The day before, she'd left the room for a while to see if her help was needed with KOS-MOS' repairs. The Professor and Scott had continued working on KOS-MOS diligently through all of the chaos, and Allen had joined them once receiving the assurance Jr. would recover. Shion had also had more of an ulterior motive for leaving the cabin. She'd wanted to give Jr. some time to move about within the room, knowing he was becoming fiercely impatient with being babied. She'd returned after being told that KOS-MOS' repairs were nearly complete, convincing Ayame to sing a favorite song of hers loudly to alert Jr. it was time to get back in bed. Though he'd seemed slightly better when his wife and daughter came into the room, Shion was looking forward to Charles giving him a clean bill of health.

"Hey, Shion," Allen greeted. "It looks like we're almost done with her repairs. Did you want to check everything over, see if we missed anything?"

She waved a hand at him with a smile. "Allen, we both worked closely with KOS-MOS. I've got faith in your abilities. If you don't mind, though, I would like to scan to see if her functions have begun to recover yet. She hasn't seemed aware or conscious yet, has she?"

Scott broke in as he handed the scanner to Shion. "We've been monitoring her, but so far nothing seems to have awakened within her. As you can see, we've finished fixing her frame, and we also managed to create a black box that seems compatible. We installed another Erde Kaiser generator to give her an extra power boost, and Allen worked on fixing any programming that seemed scrambled from her time in space."

"Yes, yes," the Professor grumbled, "Assistant #2 does know what he's about when it comes to the lovely Assistant #3. Still, she's not cooperating when it comes to being functional, so it seems he's not needed anymore here. It would appear it's up to you now, girly. If we've got to put you in some sort of danger to wake our girl up, we could have you test our newest version of Erde Kaiser. We call this one Erde Kaiser Gamma, but its strength has yet to be verified…"

Before Shion could answer, a voice growled, "Do you think you could actually dress her normally this time? That little skirt thing you stuck on her when you fixed her up before didn't exactly scream 'battle android that can kick all sorts of ass.'"

Spinning around, Shion found herself looking up into her husband's annoyed blue-eyed gaze. "Jr., are you supposed to be up and around like this?"

"I feel fine, Shion," he told her, his tone combative. "I'm tired of being told to stay in bed. I'm not freakin' fragile, and I think Charles is getting some kind of perverse pleasure from telling MOMO to keep me laid up like that."

"He saved your life," she pointed out quietly.

"Yeah, and I appreciate that, but I'm not gonna stay in bed forever just because he says so. I'm good, and it's time I got back in the action. I told MOMO as much when she tried to keep me from leaving the room. So let's move on to something else, okay?" He tossed a question off at the Professor. "Do you think you guys can make KOS-MOS look a little more threatening this time? Actually, I kinda liked how the Second Division made her look when you dropped her off there after the Proto Merkabah thing, sweetheart." Jr. peered down at KOS-MOS' closed containment unit, and Shion slipped her arm into his with a small sigh. "Hey, where's my little one?"

"She wanted to see Mary and the others on the bridge. Mary said she'd bring her down shortly. I've tried to keep her separated from MOMO as much as possible. I got her to apologize to MOMO, but it wasn't easy." Shion shook her head at the memory of her daughter biting out a very bitter apology to the Realian, who'd looked as though she wanted to be anywhere else at that moment. Jr. lifted an eyebrow, asking silently what she was going on about. She'd forgotten that she hadn't made him aware of Ayame's irrational dislike of MOMO, so she quickly filled him in on what had happened in the lounge between the two of them. Mary had informed her of what had transpired while she was gone, though she'd been able to piece it together from the bit of interaction she'd caught at the end.

"Hell, I wouldn't have forced her to apologize, sweetheart. All you did right there was make Aya hate MOMO worse. You know how damn stubborn she is, what with her being a combination of the two of us. If you'd just let it go, she would have gotten over it." Jr. held up a hand to bring Shion's angry protest to a halt. "I know why you made her, but I'm telling you it's not going to solve the damn problem. Hey, there's my girl!" He bent down to swing the red-haired whirlwind flying toward him up into his arms. He nodded to Mary, who motioned that she wasn't able to stay before she headed back the way she'd come from.

"Daddy, you're all better?" Ayame questioned, hugging him around the neck.

"Yeah, I'm feeling just fine, little one. Staying out of trouble?" he teased, and she shot him a mischievous smile that reminded Shion strongly of her husband's own playful grin. "So, is KOS-MOS waking up any time soon or what?" He turned his attention to Allen, Scott, and the Professor.

"We've got her fixed up, don't we?" the Professor blustered. "We did our parts, sonny, and now the rest is up to Assistant #3. She'll wake when she's good and ready, and not because you're telling her she has to." He stabbed a finger in Jr.'s direction, and Jr. aimed a scorching glare at him.

"It's not like I was freakin' ordering her to wake up," Jr. snapped. He set Ayame down on the floor and pulled Shion close, causing her to shake her head at the usual amount of tension flowing between the two men. "If anything happens, make sure Shion knows about it. Come on, sweetheart, let's head up top and talk to Matthews." He slid an arm around Shion's less than slim waistline and tilted her chin up for a kiss. An alarm began to blare, and Jr. parted from Shion reluctantly to see what the problem was. "What the hell is that alarm for?"

"It's KOS-MOS," Allen breathed, turning to look at her containment unit. "Something caused her to initiate start-up mode!"

Everything was quiet, except for Ayame's small voice demanding to know what was going on as she pulled at Jr.'s maroon long-sleeved tee. The containment unit opened slowly, and two black-gloved hands rested upon the sides. Slowly, KOS-MOS rose into a sitting position, and then her eyes blinked open. "I must protect Shion," she said without preamble.

Shion pulled away from Jr. and stepped forward. "KOS-MOS, I'm right here. I'm not in any danger," she said softly.

"Someone had taken hold of you, Shion, and my sensors perceived it as being of an offensive nature. My wish is to protect you from harm, and so I awakened to do so. You are in no danger, however?" KOS-MOS exited her containment unit gracefully, glancing around at the people surrounding her. Her unblinking red eyes fell upon the small redhead peering out from behind the tall red-haired man's jeaned leg. "Shion, the man standing there is the one I felt the threat from, but preliminary scans indicate that he is Jr. I do not understand why Jr. would make any attempt to harm you. I am also trying to determine why the child appears to be a mixture of both your genetics and Jr.'s. I wish to be informed of what has happened while I was asleep."

"What the hell does that mean?!" Jr. demanded, insulted. "I wouldn't hurt Shion. All I did was freakin' pull her close and kiss her! Jesus, you can't mean you took that as a threat, KOS-MOS!" Ayame, sensing that her father was getting upset, refrained from pointing out his use of forbidden words. Instead, she continued to glance over the newly awakened stranger silently as her father's expression darkened. "Offensive nature, my ass..." he muttered.

Allen spoke up, his eyes showing the grin he refused to allow upon his face. He didn't like to find others' misfortune amusing, considering he'd often been in that spot himself, but Jr.'s sulking was causing most of the occupants in the room some form of hilarity. "KOS-MOS wouldn't have known that since she was asleep. All she would have sensed was Shion being put in a potentially threatening position. I don't think it means she thinks you're capable of hurting Shion or anything. Well, there was that one time…" he mused jokingly, and Jr. glared at him.

"She was headed off with Kevin, so I did what I thought I had to! Shut up, Allen, since you're not goddamn helping. Anyway, could we move past this since KOS-MOS knows I wasn't going to hurt Shion now?!" Jr. was looking distinctly furious, and Shion laid a hand upon his arm to try to calm him.

"Do you think we could tell KOS-MOS what she's missed?" Jr. seemed somewhat mollified, and he and Shion took each of Ayame's hands and brought her forward.

KOS-MOS studied the small child in front of her. "When we parted, Shion, it seemed your heart rested with Allen. May I ask why it appears that this child is offspring you have had with Jr.? People who are merely friends do not often have children, do they?" She placed a hand beneath Ayame's chin to tilt it up so she could run an analytical gaze over the little girl. Ayame cocked her head haughtily and did the same, disliking how the stranger was looking at her.

Shion could almost hear Jr.'s teeth clench in response to KOS-MOS' question, so she pressed his arm with her hand to keep him silent. "A lot of things changed while we were apart, KOS-MOS. Jr. and I are married now. The little girl giving you the evil eye is our daughter, Ayame Kiku Kukai. We've also got another child on the way."

"I do not understand this development," KOS-MOS fretted. While it was somewhat strange to see the android reacting as she was, it had to be remembered that her awakening into Mary had changed her on a very important level. "It was my belief that you and Allen would be forever linked. What has Allen to say about this?"

Allen blinked at being put on the spot and began to back away, hands held out. "Shion and I…we'll always be cl-cl-close friends, KOS-MOS," he replied, stammering a little. "We both managed to move on, though. I'm married to Shelley now…" He trailed off when he saw KOS-MOS had turned away.

"I wish to cease speaking of this subject for now," the blue-haired android declared. Her heels made a tapping sound as she began to pace, and Jr. took that time to take in what changes the Professor, Scott, and Allen had wrought in her exterior. While he would never say it aloud, he believed Shion's lack of influence had been a blessing. KOS-MOS' new look seemed reminiscent of the V2 version Vector's Second Division had given her. He'd never understood all of the bulky headgear Shion had insisted she needed; he preferred the sleeker and more stylish KOS-MOS standing before him. "Would I be correct in believing we are in close proximity to Lost Jerusalem?"

"We are," Shion confirmed. "We could have actually attempted to set the ship down, but we didn't want to do that while Jr. was still unable to come out with us. He would have never forgiven us for doing that." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it when he rolled his eyes. "KOS-MOS, I've been wondering about something. Do you have any idea where chaos is? I think I believed that we'd find the two of you together, if we actually found you at all…"

KOS-MOS was silent for a time, as though she was lost in thought. Her voice was quiet when she finally answered. "My body sheltered both my will and that of chaos before he spoke to me of sleeping until I was needed to awaken again. I do not feel his will within this body now, so I am unsure of what has happened to him. I am certain he still exists, however, and that we will meet with him when it is time. I believe it is time for us to see what awaits us on Lost Jerusalem." Typical of KOS-MOS, she strode away without awaiting replies from the other occupants within the room.

Ayame announced, an obvious pout in her voice, "Aya didn't like that lady touching her." Everyone looked down to see she was standing with her arms folded and her lower lip stuck out.

Shion laid a gentle hand on her daughter's head. "KOS-MOS wasn't really trying to be rude, sweetie. She's just a little confused right now. How about we follow her and see what she's up to? She's likely heading for the bridge," she told Jr., and he nodded.

"Knowing KOS-MOS, she's about to demand we set down on Lost Jerusalem. Even with her awakened into Mary, she's still definitely our KOS-MOS," he said, heaving an exaggerated sigh. Shion arched an eyebrow at him, and he shrugged. "What? Just stating a simple truth. We'd better try and catch up to her." He picked Ayame up, stowed her against his shoulder, and took Shion's hand in his to lead her out of the room. Slightly unsure as to what he was supposed to do, Allen made his way after them.

They arrived somewhat after KOS-MOS had made her appearance on the bridge, but there was more an air of joviality than exasperation there. Obviously, the original _Elsa _crew, Mary, and Shelley had been overjoyed to see her up and about, despite her demand that they land the ship immediately. "Well, now that we got our blue-haired girl back and Little Master's done lying on his back," Matthews began, earning himself a venomous look from Jr., "we got the chance to do what we're here for. Take her on down, Tony, but be gentle about it. She ain't in the best of shape after all the crap she's been through."

As Tony began the _Elsa_'s descent, Jr. glanced down at Shion, who was rubbing a still petulant Ayame's back comfortingly. "What with KOS-MOS waking up, I forgot to ask. Where's MOMO been? Did she head back to the _Dämmerung_? Who the hell would have brought her back?"

Shion said quietly, aware Ayame was listening intently, "I asked Mary, and she said a friend of MOMO's came to get her in one of the shuttles. I think she said his name was Damien. I don't think the atmosphere here was helping her…" She gave Ayame a stern look, and Ayame returned the look with an angelic smile.

"Hey, Captain, where am I gonna set her down?" Tony questioned. "Just anywhere that looks good or what? We're goin' in blind, ya know."

"Then what are ya askin' me for?" Matthews roared. "Just pick a damn spot that looks like it won't hurt her worse! You're the damn pilot, aren't you?" He'd lifted his seat into the air to get a better view of their surroundings as Tony brought the ship into Lost Jerusalem's atmosphere. Everyone except Hammer, Mary, and Shelley, who were occupied with assisting in Tony's landing the _Elsa_, crowded behind Tony's seat to watch as everything grew clearer.

"Wow, knowing we're…home makes it look even more amazing," Allen breathed, his blue eyes wide. The _Elsa _set down gently, and the entire group got their first unmoving look at the peaceful, serene beauty that was Lost Jerusalem. An awed hush fell over them, and even Ayame remained quiet in Jr.'s arms. "Do…do you think we can go out there?" Allen whispered, not wanting to break the silence but feeling an innate need to be outside the ship in that peaceful serenity.

"Damn straight we're going out there," Jr. answered, wincing when Ayame's fingers twisted hard in the hair at the nape of his neck. "Sorry, little one. But yeah, we're going to check things out. We sure as he-heck," he corrected quickly before Ayame could give his hair another tug, "didn't come all way to Lost Jerusalem to just gawk from inside the _Elsa_!"

Everyone followed him out to the cargo door, and that was where Ayame balked ferociously in his arms. She started demanding loudly to be let down, and he nearly dropped her as she moved her arms and legs in a desperate bid to be away from him. "Aya doesn't want to leave, Daddy! Put her down!"

Jr. moved out of the way to allow everyone past while he fought against dropping the little terror his daughter had become. "Go ahead, I'll bring up the rear," he said shortly.

Shion was by his side, attempting to reason with a sobbing Ayame. "Sweetie, listen to me," she cajoled, and Ayame's tear-filled emerald eyes focused on her. "We're not going to just forget about the _Elsa_. It's still going to be home, at least until we all know what's going to happen here."

"But-but we're not…going to stay here!" Ayame whimpered, dashing her small fists at her cheeks. Being the rough-and-tumble child that she was, she wasn't one for crying. While she had a penchant for tantrums, they rarely ever included true tears. She'd nearly lost her daddy, however, and now her parents wanted her to leave behind the only place she'd ever known as home. "Aya wants to stay on the _Elsa _forever!"

"We can't stay on it forever, little one," Jr. said reasonably, kissing her forehead and wiping away her tears. "We came here because this is going to be home. The _Elsa_'s always going to be the home you knew first, but don't you want to be with me and Mommy?"

Ayame hiccupped and gave a small nod, burying her face in Jr.'s neck. Shion said softly, "I know it's hard to take that first step off the _Elsa_, sweetie, but Daddy and I will be right there with you. Do you think you can try? You'll get to see what being out in the fresh air is like, and maybe even get a tan," she said teasingly, tickling Ayame's sides and causing her to giggle against her will.

"Well, I don't know about tans, sweetheart. Redheads aren't really known for that," Jr. tossed at his wife, understanding what she was doing. If they could get Ayame to see the fun she could have by moving outside the ship, then they would be able to convince her to stop fighting them. "But hey, you'd have better places to hide on me, Aya," he told his daughter, and her eyes narrowed. He knew hide-and-seek was one of her favorite games, and by pointing out the game could be more enjoyable outside the ship, he'd hit upon one of her weaknesses.

"Aya will try then," Ayame said in a long-suffering voice, causing Jr. and Shion to smile at one another. "Can you let her down, Daddy? She wants to hold hands with you and Mommy, because she's still a little scared…"

Jr. did as she asked, and he and Shion took each of their small daughter's hands in theirs. Shion nodded to him to lead the way, since the three of them couldn't fit through the door together. They moved down the small ramp that was used when there was no dock for the crew to step out onto. The family of three stopped at the bottom of it, and Jr. and Shion looked down to gauge Ayame's reaction. She was blinking owlishly, her eyes struggling to adjust to the bright sunlight. "You okay, little one?" Jr. asked her, resting a hand on her head.

"Aya didn't know the sun would be so bright," she complained, rubbing at her eyes. "She can't see, Daddy."

"Your eyes just need to get used to it, Aya. It's different than being on the _Elsa_, huh? Let's catch up to everyone else and see what they all think." Jr. hoisted Ayame up into the air, the skirt of her lavender dress flying about as he did so. She looped an arm about his neck and hugged her ever-present red dragon plushie close. "Come on, sweetheart." He put his free hand out for Shion to take, and she smiled as she took it.

"No one could tell you're excited to be here," she teased, her gaze taking in their surroundings as they headed toward the other _Elsa _occupants.

"And like you're not," he returned. "Hey, you guys weren't supposed to ditch us!" They'd caught up to the others, and they all turned around to face the stragglers, identical expressions of awe on their faces.

"Sorry, Jr.," Allen apologized, squeezing Shelley's hand as she continued to look around in quiet amazement. "It's just…we're home. I didn't think we'd ever really get to see Lost Jerusalem like this."

Hammer and Tony had linked arms and were dancing around happily while Mary looked on, obviously debating whether she should join in. With a giggle, she put her arm through Tony's free one and he grinned. "Damn, it feels good to be home," he announced.

Matthews growled, though he couldn't hide his pleased expression, "Maybe now we can fix my baby, since we shouldn't have to deal with those damn things anymore. We don't even know what the hell they were."

KOS-MOS was busily scanning the environment for any traces of danger or other life-forms. Nothing had appeared on her scanner, and the entire forest they were standing in had been part of the complex scan she'd set up. "I do not sense anyone else as of this moment. I do not know what to make of that information, unfortunately." She turned to face everyone, her eyes moving over each face in turn. "What are you speaking of, Captain Matthews?"

"If I knew, I woulda said!" he snapped. "They looked like some kinda monster, and they were always around whenever you were. You got any clues?"

"Without more information, I do not. I will speak of this with Shion later, and perhaps then I will have an answer for you. I believe our main priority at this time is to find -" She cut herself off abruptly and lifted her head to the sky. Following her lead, everyone else looked up to see what appeared to be a lone shuttle heading toward them.

"What the hell…?" Jr. said wonderingly. It didn't seem to take the shuttle long to land, and the _Elsa _group moved backward uncertainly. The door of the shuttle lifted up, and a small group of four exited the shuttle. Jr. was the first to step forward, and his stance was aggressive as his gaze met that of Ziggy's. "Didn't realize you guys would be coming down, too," he said, eyes narrowed.

A young man broke from the shuttle group and moved forward, hand outstretched. "Before things get too tense, I'll just introduce myself. I'm Damien, MOMO's friend." After speaking to everyone, he gave a lopsided smile. "I'm hoping you don't expect me to remember everyone right off. It's good to meet you all, though." He headed back toward MOMO, and she hid behind him partially.

Juli and Ziggy glanced at one another before Juli spoke up. "We wished to see what it looked like as well," she said formally. "We didn't expect to run into you all quite so soon." She nodded toward the group, but the look she gave Jr. and Shion was cool. Despite MOMO's forgiveness, Juli and Ziggy hadn't wished to speak to the two they felt had handled MOMO's feelings so indelicately. Feet shuffled uncomfortably as the tension rose between the four adults.

Ziggy said sternly, "So this child would be the one who made MOMO feel unwelcome aboard the _Elsa _then?" His eyes met Ayame's, since she'd been looking him over with something akin to frightened uncertainty. "I would have hoped for her to be raised better than that."

Ayame's lower lip began to tremble, and her quiet plea was heard by all in the silence. "Daddy, don't let Aya down! If you do, she's afraid that mean-looking man will smoosh her with one of his metal feet!" She buried her face in Jr.'s neck, unable to hold back the tears of fright the cyborg had induced in her.

Much to everyone's surprise, Juli let out a laugh and a small smile appeared on Ziggy's face. "I don't wish for you to fear me," he told Ayame gently, and she lifted her head to stare at him, tears clinging to her eyelashes. "As your father would be upset to hear someone disliked you, I was unhappy to hear of how MOMO was treated. I promise there will be no…smooshing of anyone, however."

"No, he does indeed try to keep his feet from committing mass damage," Juli said, smiling at Ayame. She stepped closer to Jr., who chose to stay silent as he waited to see what would happen next. "Seeing your daughter has convinced me that it's time to let bygones be bygones. Are you willing to do the same, Rubedo?"

Jr. winced. "I can, if you'll stop calling me by that damn name."

"I'm sorry…" Shion trailed off when Ziggy held up a hand.

"There is no need for further apologies." He gave Ayame another small smile. "I am called Ziggy. Your name is Ayame, is it not?" She nodded quickly, her green eyes wide. "I would greatly appreciate it if you would give me the opportunity to show that my feet are not destructive." Despite herself, Ayame loosed a tiny giggle, and the tension cleared almost magically.

"Now that we've got all that taken care of, maybe it'd be a good thing to actually start checking things out," Jr. pointed out, letting Ayame down. She still kept a close eye on Ziggy, and though he was pretending not to notice, the lifted corner of his mouth said he was well-aware of the scrutiny. "And I've got a damn question for everyone. Where the hell is chaos?" Only silence greeted the question.

**Author's note 2 – **I know it's been a long time since I updated, and I'm seriously sorry for it. I wasn't sure what I was doing when Lost Jerusalem was reached, and I had some computer troubles, too. Then I had to figure out how to write KOS-MOS! All in all, this chapter took much longer than I planned on. Hopefully, the next one won't take anywhere near as long…


	37. The Dream

**Author's note – **Hey look, a new chapter! This one idea has been rolling around in my head for ages, but I couldn't get any of the characters involved in it to wake up long enough to get going on it. Seems they're now ready to cooperate, so I'll hurry up and write it before they change their minds! XD

Later on that night, everyone returned to the _Elsa_, feeling very dejected. They'd searched the area where they'd landed carefully but had found no clues as to chaos' whereabouts. He hadn't suddenly appeared to greet them nor praise them for finally finding Lost Jerusalem, and not even KOS-MOS had any inkling about the silver-haired enigma. Jr. turned to face the party of four who had come down from the _Dämmerung_. "Look, it's probably for the best if you guys just crash here for the night. It's going to be tight quarters, but it's better than you heading back up, right? I just don't know where the hell you're gonna stay…" He glanced at Shion, who appeared to ponder the situation.

"Unfortunately, we can't have any of you stay with us in our room. Ayame is very easily upset by change, and there's also that slight problem with…" Shion's green eyes met MOMO's golden ones, and MOMO averted her face sadly. "Damien could stay with the captain, Tony, and Hammer in their cabin if that's okay with him. Ziggy, the Professor and Scott have taken over the room where your chair was, so I don't know if you'd feel comfortable there. You could possibly stay in KOS-MOS' maintenance room if that helps." The slight nod she received from Ziggy made her feel certain he didn't approve of that option, but he seemed to know he didn't have much choice in accepting the offer.

Mary spoke up, seeing the distress on MOMO's face. "How 'bout Juli and MOMO keep me company tonight?" She elbowed Tony discreetly when he let loose an unhappy exclamation. "Yeah, us girls will be just fine. What do ya both think?" She pulled away from Tony to hug an obviously relieved MOMO, who voiced her agreement while Juli nodded the same way Ziggy had.

With sleeping arrangements decided, everyone went their separate ways once they'd set foot back on the _Elsa_. It was with unspoken consent that everyone avoided speaking about their failure to find anything even remotely connected to chaos. The good nights were muted among them all, and Jr. scooped up his sleepy daughter to follow Shion into their cabin. For once, Ayame didn't put any kind of fight about going to sleep. She slumped bonelessly against her father scant seconds after he'd entered the room. "Let me have her so I can change her into her pajamas and put her down," Shion whispered. Jr. handed Ayame over gently, and she made a slight noise of irritation but settled into her mother's arms almost immediately. After she'd been changed into her light blue nightgown and put down in her crib, she curled up onto her side and was deeply asleep before Shion had finished caressing her back to say good night. Shion slipped into bed beside Jr., who turned onto his side to pull her back against him. "Jr.," she said sleepily, "do you think we'll find chaos?"

Jr. heaved a sigh. "I think we'll find chaos when he **wants** us to find him. Until then, we're just gonna have to keep searching for him. For tonight, though, I'm freakin' exhausted as hell, and I know you've got to be, too. Why don't we get some sleep, sweetheart?" He laid a kiss on the top of her head and rested a hand upon her gently swelling stomach. "We'll figure out what we're doing in the morning, okay?" She gave a silent nod, and then he felt her body loosen as she drifted off. He was just beginning to fall asleep himself when he heard her make an odd sound. "Sweetheart, what is it?" he muttered and then his whole body jerked when she grabbed his hand tightly. "What…?" His sentence trailed away into nothingness as his vision faded to black.

Coming to with a headache pulsing behind his eyelids, he opened his eyes gingerly and knew instantly something was off. Shion was standing in front of him, though he could only see her bare feet because he was still lying on his side. "Am I still asleep or what?" he groaned, attempting to haul himself to his feet.

Shion turned to him and looked down at him in surprise. "Jr., how in the world did you end up in my dream?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Is that where the hell I am?" he questioned, taking note that they were standing on a gently sloping hill. "It was like you sucked me in or something. You grabbed my hand, and the next thing I knew, I'm here with you. How did you do that?"

"And more importantly," an insolently lazy voice demanded, "why did she feel the need to involve me in bringing you here?" Jr. and Shion turned to face the owner of the voice, though the twin sighs they gave indicated they knew who would be behind them. Joining them at an unhurried pace was Albedo, the exasperated look on his face directed at Shion. "Why does it seem that I'm somehow unable to manage a night's worth of sleep since reuniting with you, Rubedo? I would have been appreciative if your princess could have consulted me before yanking my consciousness into her dreamworld. Why exactly did she need me here again?"

Before Shion could toss off an answer at the smirking white-haired man, another voice spoke up. "Well, it's good to see you responded to my invitation, Shion, but I wasn't expecting you to have an entourage." The quiet humor in the familiar voice caused Shion to stiffen, though she seemed unable to turn to face the owner of it. "If you were going to bring along a few friends," the voice continued, "I can't say I was expecting Jr. and…Albedo. I'm a little confused as to why you'd be here, Albedo."

Albedo lifted a white eyebrow and shrugged a shoulder. "That would bring the count to two. I'm assuming since Rubedo and I are forever linked due to our reunification, I was brought here because the princess deemed his presence necessary. Oh, how I'm enjoying this pleasant interlude already…" Seeing the murderous look his twin was aiming at him, his smirk grew wider. "Am I the only one who's going to talk to our guest, or are you and your love going to cease being rude and at least turn to face him?"

Gritting his teeth against the invectives he wanted to throw at his brother, Jr. put a supportive hand beneath Shion's elbow and managed to turn her unwilling body around. Though he'd known the voice, a small frisson of shock still slid through him when his eyes met Jin's. Sensing Shion wasn't going to say anything yet, he said quietly, "You gave Shion an invitation? For what?"

Jin's green eyes narrowed speculatively at the possessiveness he could clearly read in Jr.'s hold on his sister's arm, but he remained silent about it for the time being. "Simply to talk. With my consciousness linked to Lost Jerusalem through the dimensional shift, I wasn't able to reach her until she'd set foot here. Before moving on, I suppose you might say I wanted to be certain she was doing well." His gaze locked with Jr.'s. "Now, if you don't mind explaining a bit, why exactly are you here with her?"

Before Jr. could even open his mouth, he felt Shion's defensive nature kick in. She stepped forward confrontationally. "Jr. is here because he and I are married, Jin." Albedo made a poor attempt at hiding a snicker at Jin's expression, but even he took a step back when Shion's eyes swung toward him. "No one asked you to be here, Albedo, so could you keep as quiet as you're capable of, please?" Albedo's trademark smirk settled upon his face again, but he only folded his arms across his chest without making any sort of comeback.

"And when exactly did this momentous event…occur?" Jin asked, his eyes meeting Jr.'s again. Jin had always been hard to read, due to his ability to mask his emotions so well, but it wasn't difficult to tell he wasn't overwhelmingly happy with the development. "I do believe I had left you in Allen's capable hands when we last spoke."

"That doesn't mean I had to stay with him, Jin," Shion snapped at him. "I'm my own person, and **I **decide the one I will spend the rest of my life with."

"Oh, it's been quite a while since I've felt this much tension. It's making me giddy," Albedo said with a chuckle designed to irritate Shion further. "It's wonderful to see that familial relations aren't something only Rubedo and I have an issue with. Please, carry on." He waved a hand airily at Shion, whose green eyes were shooting sparks at him for his interruption. "No need to worry, Rubedo," he told his twin, who was glaring at him with equal heat. "This is far too engaging for me to keep sidetracking your love from!" He seated himself upon a rock placed conveniently on the hillside and crossed his legs at the ankles, his purple eyes gleaming.

"I'd like to say it's refreshing to see you haven't changed, Albedo," Jin sighed, "but I would be lying if I did. Now, Shion," he returned his attention to his stiff-backed sister, "could you explain what happened between you and Allen? As you've done countless times before, you've managed to confuse me on a level none ever do."

"He and I didn't work out. He thought I needed time to get over Kevin and wanted to give me that, and I just wanted to move on with him. We couldn't seem to meet each other in the middle and be where we needed to be. So I told him we needed to end things because we were only hurting one another. Does that answer your question?" she asked him aggressively.

"Shion, calm down," Jr. told her quietly, kissing the top of her head. "Jin's got a right to know what's gone on, since you're his sister and I'm not the one he left you in the care of."

"I can't exactly say I'm happy about the fact that Shion's ended up with you, Jr.," Jin said, and Shion narrowed her eyes at the disappointment she heard in his voice.

"And why is that?" she questioned waspishly.

"Because I heard…things in the time I was aboard the _Elsa_ and when we made stops at the Foundation. Those things didn't reassure me that he could be counted upon to make a reliable husband, Shion." Jin brought a hand to his forehead tiredly.

Albedo gave a shout of mirthful delight. "It sounds as though the princess' brother has heard what a ladies' man you were, Rubedo! I take it you were not anywhere near intelligent enough to keep your romances from gracing the spotlight in some way?"

"Shion," Jr. said, his teeth clenched, "the next time you want me to join you in your dreams, make sure you don't bring along my pain-in-the-ass twin brother, all right? I know our damn consciousnesses are linked, but Jesus!" He aimed a scorching glare at Albedo, who only continued to chortle gleefully. Knowing his brother had no intention of making things any easier on him, he focused on Jin. "Look, Jin, I can't excuse my past. Was I with a lot of women at the Foundation and on the _Durandal_? Yeah, I was. That's over and done with now. Shion's the only woman that matters to me. I love her, okay?"

Jin held up a hand and shook his head. "No, not 'okay', Jr. I need to know that my sister is in good and **capable** hands. I need to know that she's being taken care of before I move on."

Jr. bristled at the words, despite having always gotten along with Jin before. "I **do** take care of Shion, dammit! Hell, yeah, we butt heads sometimes, but we love each other no matter what. She means the damn world to me, Jin, and I'll always take care of her."

Shion squeezed his hand to silence him, and he did so reluctantly. "I don't feel that Jr. should need to prove himself to you, Jin, and that's what you're asking him to do." Her green eyes clashed with her brother's.

"That would be where we disagree, Shion," Jin said calmly. "I was your guardian after we lost our parents, and my wish to know that you're being taken care of falls under that duty. So please allow me to speak to Jr. and establish that he's capable of handling the responsibility." His cool dismissal of his sister following that had her bristling as Jr. had, but Jr.'s hands on her shoulders kept her from voicing her aggravation. "Due to my confusion about the situation, Jr., I don't believe I mentioned how good it is to see you've grown into your…proper body. Forgive me if I can't find the exact term I seem to be searching for."

Jr. inclined his head in a slight nod. "It's kinda hard to find the words for it, but that'll do. It took a while for me to get to where I am now, but I'm happy with it." His tone indicated he wanted Jin to return to the topic they had been discussing before.

"However, attaining that body doesn't necessarily mean you're able to give my sister what she needs. You have a past that shows you might not be capable of remaining faithful to her. What Shion needs most, is stability. Allen offered her that, along with an endless amount of love. It's why I felt comfortable entrusting her into his care." Jin folded his arms across his chest and met Jr.'s eyes with an unrelenting gaze of his own. "Can you, with that past you bring with you, offer her any kind of stability that will give me the level of comfort I had with Allen?"

"Jin," Jr. said with a patience he hadn't known he possessed, "my past is just that. I've been offering Shion stability the entire time we've been together. I'm never going to be unfaithful to her, because I love her way too damn much to do that to her. I don't know what I can say to convince you of how much Shion means to me…" He trailed off and pressed his hands lightly against Shion's rounded stomach.

Jin's eyes fell to where Jr.'s hands rested and narrowed. "Hmmm…" he said quietly and then seemed to lose himself in thought for a minute. Finally, he addressed a still obviously defensive Shion. "I shall have to accept your response when I ask you this question, Shion. Are you happy with Jr.? Has he been able to give you a good life?"

The defensiveness left Shion immediately at Jin's words. She laid her hands upon Jr.'s and nodded gently. "He has, Jin. As he said, we've had our differences, but we always work through them. I didn't expect things to happen this way, but I wouldn't trade my life with Jr. I'm happy, I promise you that."

Jin returned the nod, and a hint of a smile crossed his face. "Then I suppose I can give you my blessing and wish Jr. the best of luck," he said teasingly, causing Shion to roll her eyes. "And now that we've established your happiness, would I be correct in assuming I'm to be an uncle? I would guess the unusual situation caused a rather noticeable decline in my observational skills when one considers I've only taken note of the difference in your appearance just before…"

Now that all involved seemed to be on better terms, Jr.'s natural tendency to joke returned. "Hard to miss, Jin. I mean, Shion's not exactly her usual, slender self. Ouch!" He gave a laughing cry when Shion turned and poked him in the chest. "You know I'm only kidding, sweetheart!"

Albedo said, his tone one of sheer boredom, "I do hope you don't think this child is their first. No, this would be the second time they've decided to procreate, more's the pity. As if one that's a combination of the two of them wasn't enough…" He heaved a sigh that caused Jr. to lift an eyebrow in his direction.

"Yeah, go ahead and act like you don't give a damn about Aya. It sure as hell ain't flying, Albedo, and you damn well know it."

Albedo opened his mouth to give a nonchalant response, as evidenced by his continued casual stance, but Jin held up a hand for silence. "If I'm to judge from Albedo's words, I already have a niece or nephew then? Would either of you care to tell me about this child?"

"Actually," Albedo replied, his voiced laced liberally with unrelenting boredom, "I am quite sure Rubedo and I could manage to bring the child's consciousness here so you could meet her. She **is **rather connected to both of us, after all. Being that she's his, however, it is Rubedo's decision, of course." He gave his twin a mocking bow.

Though his eyes narrowed at the bow, Jr. decided it was wise to ignore Albedo's antics. "If Shion's okay with it, I guess we can try. No matter how much you talk, I know you'll help me take care of Aya to get her here safely. So what do you think about it, sweetheart?" He cupped his hand beneath Shion's chin and tilted her face up so he could look into her worried emerald gaze.

"Do you promise that she'll be all right, Jr.? I'd love for Jin to meet her, but not at the expense of her safety," Shion fretted.

"Yeah, I promise." He kissed her gently before looking toward Jin. "I'm willing to bet you that she's going to be cranky as hell since we'll be waking her up," Jr. warned his brother-in-law. "If you can get past that, you'll see she's a really good kid. Not that I'm biased or anything." He gave a chuckle.

"That would simply mean she is indeed Shion's daughter," Jin said, directing a teasing glance at his sister. "I would, if you're able to bring her here, like to meet my niece. I wasn't exactly expecting a combination of the two of you, so I'm quite interested to see how it's turned out."

Jr. released Shion to head toward his lounging twin. "If anything happens to Aya during this, Albedo…" He trailed off as Albedo lifted his eyes toward the sky.

"Yes, yes, I already know. You will never forgive me, and you will bury my consciousness so damn deeply, I shall never see the light of day. Do you never grow tired of that threat, Rubedo?" His laughing purple eyes met Jr.'s annoyed blue ones, and he sighed again. "You may cease worrying. I have no interest in hurting the little princess. You know that, or you wouldn't have agreed to this in the first place. Now, could we possibly set about doing what we're supposed to? You and your princess will need to wake up eventually, and I do doubt our black-haired friend can linger indefinitely."

As they had done before when performing the anti-U-DO link, they brought their hands up, though they stood facing one another with their eyes locked. A shudder went through each one of them, and then they stood still and silent for a few minutes. The worry Shion had felt before extended to her husband, and she had begun to move toward him when he and Albedo collapsed to the ground. Rushing to Jr.'s side, she cradled his head as best she could, asking him if he was all right. Beside his twin, Albedo stirred and pinned her with a sardonic look. "Do you not have any interest in checking upon your dear brother-in-law?"

Ignoring him, she watched with relief as Jr.'s eyes opened. He started to reassure her, but a tiny and very petulant voice broke in. "Why is Aya here?" All eyes focused on the little redhead who was rubbing tiredly at her eyes. "Daddy, Mommy, Aya doesn't like this!" Her lower lip began to quiver, and she hurried to her parents' sides. She clung to Jr. as he got to his feet, and he laid a hand upon her hair.

"It's okay, little one," he told her, and she looked up at him for reassurance. "Someone wanted to meet you, and he kinda can't meet you when you're awake. So your uncle and I linked up, and we were able to link with you, too. Are you okay? Do you feel funny or anything?" He knelt down beside her and moved her tangled hair out of her face.

"Aya feels okay," she replied slowly. "As long as you and Mommy are here, she's happy. Somebody wants to meet Aya, though?" She glanced around, and her eyes landed on Albedo. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she whispered, "Unca Alby?"

Not wanting to disturb the little girl, Jin lifted an eyebrow and mouthed, "Alby?" Shion indicated she would tell him in a few minutes, and he contented himself with just a small smile at the nickname bestowed upon the white-haired man. Despite his ability to mask his emotions, however, even he couldn't keep his jaw from dropping when the small girl hurdled toward Albedo, obviously expecting him to catch her.

Albedo's mouth twisted, but to everyone's surprise, he did indeed catch the little girl. "I don't expect a word of this ever breathed to anyone," he warned his amused audience as Ayame hugged him around the neck.

"I guess it's to be expected," Shion mused. "She's never seen him; she's only been able to mentally speak to him. I'm surprised he's tolerating her hugging him, though."

"Honestly, so am I," Jr. said, his expression somewhat dumbfounded even as he chuckled. "I guess sometimes he's not so bad." The words were said grudgingly, but Shion could still hear the affection in them. She took his hand and squeezed it, and he shot her a small grin.

"Unca Alby, you look just like Daddy!" Ayame squealed, the delight she felt at finally seeing the uncle she loved evident in every line of her body. "Aya's so happy she's getting to meet you!"

"I'd like to think I'm the better-looking between the two of us," Albedo sniffed disdainfully. "I am infinitely more intelligent, and Rubedo wouldn't dare to dispute that." When Jr. opened his mouth to offer a heated response, his twin merely smirked. Jr. fell silent, not wishing to interfere in Ayame's time with her beloved uncle. "While I am…utterly thrilled to actually meet my niece, I feel the need to inform you that I would not be the one you're here to see, little princess. The black-haired one standing not far from your dear mother is the reason your father and I called your consciousness here."

Ayame turned her head briefly and then made a face at the sight of the unfamiliar man. "But Aya doesn't like strangers," she pouted.

Albedo set her down gently, drawing looks of surprise. "I could hardly just throw the child to the ground," he snapped, rolling his eyes. "I could have, given my past, but she is fortunate in the fact that I'm able to tolerate her to an extent." He added an elegant shrug in an attempt to show how little he cared about the opinions of those around him.

"Sure, Albedo, sure," Jr. replied, a hint of laughter in his voice, taking Ayame's hand when she reached him. Shion took her daughter's other hand, surreptitiously running her eyes over her to check that she'd left Albedo's arms unscathed.

"Dear princess," Albedo said caustically, "I did not do anything underhanded to the little princess, so no need to worry your pretty, little head over it. I was in full-view of you the entire time, after all." He returned to his perch upon the rock, taking up the same position he'd been in before.

Ayame was led up to Jin, who looked down at his small niece with something akin to wonder. "I don't believe I recall you being this small, Shion…" he said quietly. Shion shook her head fiercely at him, and he realized instantly that it must be a sore subject with someone in the vicinity. Kneeling down in front of the suddenly recalcitrant little girl, he asked her gently, "May I ask how old you are, Ayame?"

She pursed her lips and glanced up at Jr., who nodded to her that she needed to answer. "Aya is two," she replied, averting her face.

"You're very well-spoken for two years old," Jin told her, and she pinned him with her mother's green eyes. "I don't believe I've introduced myself, but I am your mother's brother, Jin. It's very nice to meet you, Ayame."

"You don't look much like Mommy," Ayame said suspiciously, her gaze running over his face.

"Well, brothers and sisters don't always need to look alike to be brother and sister," Jin answered with a slight laugh.

"Daddy and Unca Alby look alike," Ayame returned, her lower lip edging out. She pulled her hands from her parents' to fold her arms across her chest.

"There are reasons for that, little one," Jr. broke in, patting her hair. "Don't you think you should try giving Uncle Jin a hug?"

Ayame balked at the thought of hugging a stranger, and Shion said softly, "Sweetie, I know we're asking a lot of you, especially with how you dislike strangers. You're never going to see Uncle Jin again after this, though, and I think he'd like a hug before he goes away."

"Why are you going away?" Ayame asked curiously as she crept a little closer to Jin.

"Unfortunately, Ayame, I was protecting friends very dear to me and was unable to come through with my life intact. You might even be able to refer to me as somewhat of a ghost." He saw her eyes widen, and he hastened to add, "I do assure you that I'm a good one, though. I wished to see my sister and be certain she wasn't making a mess of things, and this was the only way I could do so. I've discovered she's indeed very happy, with your father, and I've also been able to meet my niece. I believe I can move on due to these things."

"Then Aya thinks she can give you a hug before you leave," Ayame said, giving him a sweet smile and coming toward him. "Aya doesn't like strangers, but she doesn't want you to be sad before you go." She hugged him around the neck, and he hugged her back cautiously, worried about her tiny size.

As Ayame stepped back and Jin got to his feet again, he faced Jr. and Shion, his expression unreadable. "Before I go, I would like to leave you with some parting words that may be of help in your search for chaos." Jr.'s eyebrows drew together, but he managed to keep silent. "Your search will come to an end when you return to the place where the Zohar was awakened. Now I must say goodbye to you all. Please be sure to be good to my sister, Jr." With an incline of his head, Jin vanished and the dreamworld faded away.

**Author's note 2 **– I know this chapter took forever! I just couldn't stay in the whole writing mode, and that's why it took so long. I also know this one ends a bit abruptly, but bear with me and things should work out in the next chapter! I sadly can't say when that will be right now…


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